MEET BRIAN EDELMAN

“It was one of the hardest days knowing I would be telling all of the kids about my situation.”
Fighting a brave battle against stage 4 colon cancer at age 33. Brian has a magnet on the locker room fridge that says ‘win anyway’. The message isn’t really about basketball. It’s about being born every day. If you lose, you can still win. All you have to do is be the best you can be, and that is what coaches are there to do. They let you win, every day. Thank you, Brian.

Background: I grew up in Palos Verdes, and graduated from Palos Verdes High School in 2005. During high school, I had the honor of playing basketball for Mike Boyd. I also grew up playing basketball for the Palos Verdes Basketball Association (“PVBA”), so it meant a lot to me when I was asked to coach a 6th grade PVBA team my senior year of high school. This is where my passion for coaching was born, and it eventually led me to ask Coach Boyd for any role in his program. I started out coaching the freshmen and junior varsity teams, and years later began coaching varsity. I also spent 8 years coaching at Peninsula Sports Camps during the summer, and helped build the Palos Verdes Cagers into a premier travel basketball team. Today, I have coached over a thousand kids on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Challenges: In June of 2019, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. My life since then has taken many turns. When I first received my diagnosis, I was in shock. It was a mad rush to see doctors and get tests run. Everything seemed to be moving so quickly, and the severity of my disease seemed to change every time I received new information. Next, came the surgery process. It started with a lung surgery in the summer, which was followed by 5 weeks of intense radiation. I was barely given a break before beginning chemotherapy, which I am still undergoing today. The side effects range from neuropathy in my hands and feet, to nausea and rashes. The worst part is not feeling well, sometimes for several weeks straight. It feels as if somebody has zapped the energy and strength out of you. Most recently, I have had to go home with a IV pump after treatment to provide more chemo while at home. It was definitely a challenge to make it through games, practices, and tournaments this past year. However, it was beyond rewarding to know I completed each task. I began setting weekly goals like a runner or weightlifter. I would look at my schedule each week, and promise myself I would make it to certain events. Of course there were days that I could not make an event because of chemotherapy. I have to give credit to the coaching staff on the hill, including the Palos
Verdes High School staff and the coaching staff at the PV Cagers, for always covering me at events and supporting me throughout my illness. It makes everything easier to have great friends and an awesome support system. I think one of the most challenging aspects of this diagnosis has been telling people. It felt impossible to tell people who love me and watch their reactions. By late summer of 2019, I was starting radiation. My close friends and family knew, but I held off on telling the basketball community. I did not think it was right for me to tell the kids during the summer (over a text or email). I wanted them to hear it from me. They would be able to see how strong I looked, and find comfort in the fact I was going to fight. If they needed any support, I would be there to help them. I waited for the first week of school, and it was one of the hardest days knowing I would be telling all of the kids about my situation. Many of these kids I had coached for 8 years or more. Upon hearing the news, they showed a wide range of emotion. Luckily, they quickly rallied around each other and supported me
every way they could.