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By A.J. Gates, Herald Independent / Tri-County Press

Emily Bierman, Sr., Potosi/Cassville
POTOSI — The bond between cousins can sometimes be as strong, if not stronger, than that of siblings. 

Growing up with two older brothers and no sisters in her family, Emily Bierman has always felt a strong connection with her first cousin Sydney Fecht.

Bierman, who graduated from Potosi High School this past spring, considers Fecht, a 2021 graduate of PHS, more than just a cousin. She is her best friend.

Fecht, an only child, always thought of Bierman as her little sister, and refers to her as her “built in best friend.”

Bierman and Fecht did everything together as young children, and when the two were in high school they were nearly inseparable. 

“Me and Syd were always really close,” said Bierman. “We did everything together. She’s like my big sister and we still do a lot of things together.”

“Syd would say that Emily is her little sister and she always has described her as a built-in best friend,” said Sydney’s mother Shelly Fecht.

Two months ago, both received significant news that would strengthen their bond even more than either could ever have imagined.

Bierman was the first to receive her news. She was notified in late March by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association that she had been selected to play in their annual All-Star game held Wednesday, June 28, in Wisconsin Dells.

The All-Star games feature the state’s top seniors from all five divisions, and serve as a major fundraiser, with participants asked to raise a minimum of $500 for Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MACC Fund).

Bierman, who was a second-team all-conference selection in the Six Rivers West at the conclusion of her senior basketball season, was excited to receive the news, as one might expect.

Less than two weeks later, Fecht received not-so exciting news. It was Easter Sunday, April 9, a day neither she nor her family will ever forget.

“My dad actually told me after a softball game,” said Emily of Sydney’s news. “It wasn’t a very good day.”

The week leading up to Easter, Fecht had symptoms of nausea, changes to her vision and headaches. Her symptoms had escalated to the point where her mother took her to the emergency room at Grant Regional Hea in Lancaster.

Sheirlie LaMantia was the ER physician on duty that day, whom the

 Fechts were most grateful for.

“We honestly felt like that was the grace of God because she is amazing,” Shelly said of Dr. LaMantia.

Though initial testing did not show anything conclusive, CT scans of Sydney’s brain were sent to Madison, where a neurologist found something of vital importance.

The scans showed swelling in Sydney’s brain, which called for further testing in Madison later that same day.

“When we got to the ER in Madison, everyone was thinking on the line of complex migraines or something like that,” said Shelly. “I don’t think anyone was really thinking that this was a tumor.”

That’s right, the “T” word that no parent wants to hear.

MRI results showed that Sydney had a lesion on her brain, which was later found out to be a seven-centimeter grade-three cancerous tumor in her left frontal lobe. 

“She’s 20 years old, and healthy up until that week before,” said Shelly of Sydney. “She had had some headaches like we all do, but there was nothing else that ever happened to make us think this was a brain tumor.”

On April 24, Sydney underwent a sedated craniotomy, where the two-and-a-half-hour surgery removed 80 percent of the tumor, leaving 20 percent that sat in an area of the brain that affected the speech center.

Taking into consideration the risk of permanent speech impairment, rather than a sedated craniotomy, an awake craniotomy was needed to remove the remaining 20 percent.

Following two weeks of speech and occupational therapy, Sydney underwent an awake craniotomy on April 31, where as you might have guessed, she was awake for the entire five-hour surgery.

All of the remaining tumor, except for a centimeter, was removed by the second surgery. The one centimeter remaining is located in a delicate area of the brain that would most likely lead to permanent speech impairment if removed by surgery.

That portion of the tumor will most likely be treated with radiation or some other form of treatment in the coming weeks.

Fully expecting to experience temporary speech impairment from the surgery, Sydney is dealing with aphasia, which affects a person’s ability to communicate with others.

“Now she’s talking a lot. There are words, but the sentences are not formed correctly,” explained Shelly. “She knows exactly what she wants to say, she just can’t get the words out.”

All of this leads to the part of this story that brought the two cousins even closer than either one could have imagined.

Having been selected to play in this year’s WBCA All-Star games, and needing to raise money for the MACC Fund, Bierman made it her mission to shatter the existing record for money raised by a single player.

“Before Syd, I just wanted to be the number-one fund raiser,” said Bierman. “Then, when I found out about her cancer, I really wanted to break the record and raise at least $20,000.”

Bierman has already blown the previous record of $17,000 away, raising $35,591 as of this past Monday. 

“I’m just so proud of Emily for getting to play in the All-Star game,” said her aunt Shelly. “She’s had a basketball in her hands since she was big enough to hold a basketball. To see her be honored for that is awesome, and then to have her do this…,” she paused before breaking into tears.

“It’s just important to me to find a cure for cancer,” said Bierman. “Syd isn’t the only one in my family, I also lost my grandpa to cancer. Knowing that Syd has it, just made it more real because we are so close.

“She realizes how important she is to me and how important this fund raising is to me too.” 

Of course none of this would have been possible without the support and generosity of those in Potosi, Tennyson and the surrounding communities.

 “When you come from a small town, certainly people gather together. But I think the emotions for myself, for Sydney and for Ryan, certainly what we’re going through, no one wants to go through, but the emotions to tears comes from the support that people are good,” Shelly said.

“That’s the emotions for us. We are just so incredibly grateful for people being behind us. That’s really kind of what gets you through it.” 

“Our community is amazing,” added Bierman. “This isn’t the first time that something has happened in the community, and I knew they would rally around Syd. It’s just amazing to know how many people are on our side. I wasn’t expecting this, but our community really is just amazing.”

While the money raised doesn’t go directly to Sydney or the Fecht family, Shelly wants people to understand it does make a difference for all families dealing with cancer.

“I tell people that truly your money is saving lives,” Shelly explained. “Ultimately what Emily is doing will save lives.”

“The medical advancements are amazing. What they didn’t know years ago to what they know now is just insane. I’ve been in health care for 30 years, and I’m just in awe of what they can do,” Shelly added.

Though what she has raised is already amazing, Shelly would love to see Emily reach the $40,000 mark. Bierman hopes someday someone else breaks her record, “because that is only going to help every cancer patient that is in this world,” she said.

To make a donation in Emily Bierman’s name, visit wisbca.org and click on the All-Star Game link under the “Events” menu. Click on the “Girls Roster” tab to the left and go to the D5 South squad where you can view Bierman’s All-Star Page.

The Division 5 Girls’ All-Star game is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 28, at JustAGame Fieldhouse in Wisconsin Dells. If all goes well in the coming weeks, you can bet Sydney will be in attendance to cheer on her cousin, her little sister and her built-in best friend.