Transplant Day Goes 'Very Well' for Avery

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Friday was indeed a very strong day for the #Averystrong Team.  "Transplant Day went very well," according to the Facebook page dedicated to 7-year-old leukemia patient Avery Harriman, who was the recipient of a bone marrow transplant Friday morning in Omaha.  "We are so overwhelmed with the amount of support!  The energy and love we feel is incredible!"  Avery's dad, Chris, is an assistant coach on the Tim Miles-led men’s basketball staff and Friday that team was engaged in a local initiative to raise funds for Make-A-Wish in honor of Avery's surgery.  Chris and wife Cheryl jointly and joyfully communicated the latest update to Avery's Army of supporters and fans, which include Avery’s 5-year-old sister Kacee.  The Harrimans also have a daughter, Elsie, who is nine months old.

The Facebook post noted that Avery started Friday with nausea but was able to "soldier through with the help of some meds".  The post pointed out that chemotherapy kills both "the bad and the good” so as Avery’s counts drop, there may be times he will need a blood transfusion or platelets.  The goal is to keep Avery both infection and fever free.  For the Harrimans, time has become a waiting game.  "The donor's stem cells will float around until they find their place and begin to grow, and this could take anywhere from 10 to 14 days," the Harrimans wrote.  "The first milestone: engraftment." 

To support what he calls his “little brother” Avery, Husker forward Walter Pitchford also shaved his head.

Chris and Cheryl Harriman Focus on the Positive

One thing is certain as Chris and Cheryl prepare to clear the next hurdle in their oldest son’s courageous battle – they have a very strong sense of peace and have found a way to focus on their faith.  Mom and dad both appreciate the incredible support of a close basketball team that opens their hearts for them, a caring community that reaches out to them, a unique university that that has served them, and a spirited state which reminds them that there really is no place like Nebraska.

Husker guard Shavon Shields shaved the hair off his head to show his support for Avery during the 7-year-old’s extended chemotherapy treatments.  Nebraska forward Walter Pitchford followed suit and shaved his head as well. “We’re all doing whatever we can to show our support for Avery,” Pitchford told me Wednesday.  “We see Avery like he’s our little brother.  His mom and dad are awesome parents.  They help him and encourage him to fight every day.  The entire Harriman family is part of our team’s family.  Whatever we do is to show them that we love them and that we care.”

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Voices from Husker Nation

In this age of winning is everything and athletes being self-centered, some programs run without regard to the personal development of their student-athletes.  Nebraska gives me a sense of pride and a source of inspiration in my own life. I was born and raised in Nebraska and now live in Long Grove, a suburb of Chicago. My wife has M.S. and I find strength in helping her simply by watching the selfless actions of student-athletes at Nebraska. I have been to many functions in the Chicago area to watch Nebraska games and everyone feels the same way about how Nebraska builds men and women of character.  That’s the draw that wills us to attend as many games as possible. Winning is great but my pride in my home state is built on character – the kind of character that Shavon Shields and Walter Pitchford showed to support a 7-year-old kid with leukemia.  Please tell all Nebraska student-athletes how their actions are the main reason we support them better than any other program in the country.  And please know that Avery will be in our thoughts and prayers.  Ken Friend, Chicago, Illinois