After beating cancer, trials of career don’t faze Hagen
When Dash forward Sarah Hagen runs onto the field Saturday, she will think about all the normal things required of her position, such as when to pressure defenders and when to shoot or pass to a teammate with a better angle.
Those things will impact the Dash’s nationally televised game against the Chicago Red Stars, but a different thought will dominate the day for Hagen. This will be the 12th year May 6 carries significance for her.
On May 6, 2005, Hagen was declared free of cancer. She was 15 years old and after a five-month fight with dysgerminoma she once again could think about living a long and healthy life.
“It is the day that I heard the words, ‘You don’t have cancer anymore,’ ” Hagen said. “It almost means more to me than my actual birthday. It is a day I’ll never forget.”
The most stressful things Hagen had to worry about as a high school freshman in Appleton, Wis., were classes, tests and big games. One day none of that mattered because she was on her way to the hospital for emergency surgery.
Getting the diagnosis
Hagen noticed a bump on her stomach that grew every day. It was painful to do abdominal and core exercises and ultimately became noticeable — so much so her mother thought she was pregnant.
As soon as her mom saw it, she scheduled a doctor’s appointment. Hagen’s pediatrician sent her to the hospital for MRI and CAT scans. Doctors told her it was a tumor as big as a size 4 soccer ball.
That night the family went to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin for more tests. Doctors performed an exploratory surgery to biopsy the tumor to see where it was attached. A few days later the results revealed it was cancerous.
“I prepared myself, but when you hear the words, ‘You have cancer,’ it’s a shock,” Hagen said. “You don’t know if the treatment is going to do the job and how long the process is going to be.”
Although the situation was bad, Hagen said she never felt like she was not going to make it because of the support she had from family and friends. She especially needed that support when the second of three rounds of chemotherapy led to a moment of anaphylactic shock that left her unable to breath.
She also suffered through pancreatitis and near kidney failure. After the initial exploratory surgery, she vomited stomach acid for a few days.
The size and weight of the tumor shifted organs out of place and crushed the tubes going from her kidney to her bladder.
The chemotherapy shrunk the tumor to the size of a fist. Surgeons could remove the tumor but told
Hagen it was best also to perform a hysterectomy.
As a high school freshman, Hagen had to decide if she wanted to have a baby.
“It was either not have a hysterectomy and risk the cancer coming back or cutting out that altogether,” she said. “It was a clear decision. It’s a hard decision to make when you’re 15, but 12 years later I’m still here.”
Moving on
Hagen ultimately scored a scholarship to Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She signed her first pro contract with Bayern Munich and scored 38 goals in 51 appearances over two seasons.
In 2014, she returned to the NWSL. In 44 appearances with FC Kansas City and the Orlando Pride from 2014-2016 she scored 10 goals. She has appeared in all three games for the Dash since they claimed her off waivers before this season.
It is not easy to fit in with a new team, but Hagen has done it. Then again, she’s been through something much more difficult.
“Looking back at what I’ve had to overcome, the biggest thing that got me through it was the support I had from my teammates, friends, family, coaches, classmates,” she said. “That really shows you how to be a good person.”