Keegan’s story: Playing through the toughest season

Fifteen-year-old Keegan has been a soccer kid for as long as anyone can remember. His bedroom is packed with trophies, medals and posters – indicators that much of his life revolves around the game he loves.

So when Keegan was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma during his freshman year of high school, he had one goal that his care team fully supported: continuing to play soccer as much as possible.

Throughout several rounds of cancer treatment, Keegan continued practicing and suiting up for two different teams. Some days, it looked different than in the past. But with support from his care team, coaches and teammates, he kept showing up.

“The general mantra was, ‘If he feels OK, let him play,’” says Keegan’s mom, Wendy.

The way Keegan was able to keep living life as normally as possible through treatment inspired Wendy – a creative director at an ad agency – to help create a Children’s Health℠ commercial called “Different Fields. Same Goal.”

An unwanted birthday present

Keegan had started freshman year and was recovering from a cold when he noticed a lump in his neck. At first, Wendy and her husband Evan assumed it was swollen lymph nodes. But when the lump continued growing, his pediatrician ordered blood work and referred him to the Pauline Allen Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD) at Children’s Health.

After an X-ray, more bloodwork, a biopsy, and PET scan, Kathleen Ludwig, M.D., Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist at Children's Health and Associate Professor at UT Southwestern, confirmed Keegan’s diagnosis: Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It was the day before Keegan’s 15th birthday.

“Keegan would joke, ‘Yeah, for my 15th birthday, I got cancer,’” Wendy says. “And thank God he has a sense of humor, because he needed it through the next six months.”

Wendy was incredibly sad for her son to face cancer – just as he was starting high school. But she was encouraged when Dr. Ludwig explained how Hodgkin’s lymphoma is very curable, with really good treatment options and great survival outcomes.

Shaving his head

Less than a week later, Keegan started chemotherapy. And the weekend prior, Keegan invited a group of friends over for a very specific activity: shaving his head.

“I wasn't going to let cancer take my hair, so my friends and I buzzed it and made it a party,” Keegan says.

Two weeks after his first treatments began, Keegan went to Jesuit homecoming with a group of friends and a sweet girl.

"I was able to have a blast and not even think about cancer," he says.

And when his first round of treatment brought an unexpected side effect (an immunotherapy medication that triggered type 1 diabetes), Dr. Ludwig immediately connected Keegan to Children’s Health endocrinology specialists.

But even that didn’t define him or stop him from focusing on school and playing soccer.

Staying connected to normal teenage life

At the start of each week, Keegan’s care team reviewed his blood work to decide what activities were safe.

If his immunity was low, he wore a mask at school. If his red blood cells dropped too much, he could attend practice but avoid scrimmaging.

Through it all, the goal was always to help him stay connected to normal teenage life whenever possible.

His teammates rallied around him too, making purple “Team KZ” bracelets in support.

“Kids are so strong and resilient, and they still want to be kids,” says Dr. Ludwig. “And we have to let them do that whenever it is safe and we are able. Living in a bubble is not good for them – or their family – and they need the support of their community as they walk through treatment."

Still causing trouble on the soccer field

Over the next six months, Keegan, Wendy and Evan spent countless hours at the hospital.

Keegan often showed up wearing soccer jerseys, updating nurses and doctors about his teams and recent games.

“We were so glad he had soccer to look forward to,” Wendy says. “Even when chemo caused him to lose a few pounds, Keegan was still out there causing trouble.”

Wendy also appreciated how the care team supported the entire family – helping her find quiet places to work during long treatment days so her life too could maintain a sense of normalcy. And she appreciated the days they received visits from the pet therapy dogs.

“We often requested our favorite therapy dogs, Cantor and Maze, for Keegan. But, honestly, some days I needed the dogs more than he did,” she chuckles.

Getting back to the top of his game

In February 2026, Keegan rang the bell to celebrate the end of treatment, surrounded by his family and his care team.

Now, in remission, Keegan is focused on getting stronger and causing even more trouble on the soccer field.

Looking back, Wendy says helping Keegan maintain a sense of normal life throughout treatment made all the difference.

“We couldn’t have felt more supported or in better hands,” she says. “Children’s Health is truly at the top of their game and they helped Keegan quickly return to the top of his game. And we’re just so thankful that this level of care exists in Dallas.”

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With locations in Plano and Dallas, the Pauline Allen Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children's Health is a world-class pediatric treatment center that is nationally recognized for exceptional clinical care and leadership in children's cancer research. Learn more about our programs and services.