Goals for Griff

Sunday’s Maryland field hockey game against James Madison is “Griff’s Day” as the program will recognize Griff Greenwalt for his battle with cancer throughout the game.

Wednesday, February 6, 2019, was like any other day for three-year-old Griffin “Griff” Greenwalt. His mom, Jayden, dropped him off at daycare, where Griff did what he did every time he went, play with the other kids. 

As young boys do, some good-natured roughhousing turned serious as Griff fell and hurt his stomach and side. When Jayden picked him up later that day, Griff complained of a stomach ache. 

When it persisted the next day and then into the following morning, Jayden became worried and took Griff to Anne Arundel Medical Center at the behest of her mom, Michelle. 

It was then that the Greenwalt family learned that it wasn’t a stomach ache. The doctors immediately recommended that Griff be rushed to Johns Hopkins Medical Center because they feared it to be more serious. 

On Friday, February 8, just two days after falling, Griff was diagnosed with Wilms’ Tumor. The rare kidney disease primarily affects children, and even if he was too young to understand, Griff was now in for a battle.

He didn’t have to fight alone, though, as he had a bevy of support, including his mom, dad, grandparents, and his notable aunt, Maryland field hockey captain, Kyler Greenwalt. 

“He’s the strongest little boy in the world,” Kyler said. “I already knew he was smart, and I already knew he was tough, but to do what he’s done at such a young age is just amazing. I love him so much.”

Kyler was in a daze walking around College Park as she learned of Griff’s situation as she planned to join her teammates for an end-of-season brunch. Not knowing what to do, Kyler called the one person she knows she can always count on: Maryland head coach Missy Meharg. 

“Missy told me to be with my family,” Kyler said. “She was so supportive during all of it, and I can’t thank her enough. She would check in to see how Griff was doing, how I was doing, and how my sister was doing. She cares about everyone, and I love her for that.”

Kyler and her father, Tim, attended the brunch, met Missy, and joined Kyler’s second family to celebrate their past season. The duo quickly rushed to the hospital when it was over, where their worst fears came true. 

Griff’s cancer had spread.

The stomach ache Griff complained of turned out to be the tumor rupturing inside him, which caused it to spread. During the surgery, they learned his cancer spread to his abdomen and lymph nodes. That meant Griff was officially diagnosed with Stage III cancer and would have to undergo 30 weeks of chemotherapy and 16 rounds of radiation.   

Seeing Griff in his weakened state was hard for the Greenwalt family, but he was still the intelligent little boy he always was. As an avid fan of superheroes like Spider-Man, Batman, and Iron Man, Griff would wear their symbols on his shirts and pajamas for strength. 

His spirits never dampened, and if anything, they got stronger. His attitude was beyond his years, and how he handled his grueling situation shocked his aunt. 

“I couldn’t believe it when I would walk in, and he was still just Griff,” Kyler said. “I remember we were all sitting there, and he named off this complicated medicine that he was taking. He’s what, four years old, and saying words that I don’t even know. He’s unreal.”

The physical toll on Griff was hard enough to watch for Kyler, but seeing her sister have to wear that burden on an emotional level was just as hard. As Kyler put it, Jayden turned into “super-mom,” with Kyler gaining even more love and respect for her older sister. 

“Jayden was everyone’s rock,” Kyler said. “She was so positive and never even let anyone think about worst-case scenarios. She was always putting on a happy face for Griff, and she was just amazing throughout everything. She’s an amazing mom and an amazing sister.”

Kyler was still heartbroken seeing her nephew bedridden, missing school, and not seeing his friends. She would still have to train for the upcoming season and school year, but it was hard not to think about Griff.

One day, Kyler was conversing with then-head field hockey athletic trainer, Sandy Worth, and the two came up with the idea that they thought Griff would love. Just days later, with the help of Worth, Kyler, the Greenwalt family, and the hospital, Griff got a visit from someone he loves: Testudo. 

“Oh my god, he’s obsessed with Testudo,” Kyler said. “He was so excited when Testudo came in, and he was talking to him about literally everything. It was so cute. They’re totally best friends now.”

Being a star athlete at Maryland has its perks, with one of them having Testudo’s number on speed dial, but Kyler knew other children in the hospital deserved the same experience. 

That’s why the Arnold, Maryland native, had the idea for Testudo to walk around the children’s hospital and meet with all of the children, brightening their days and their lives too, if not just for one afternoon. 

“Seeing how happy it made everyone from the kids, their families, the doctors, and the nurses, it was awesome,” she said. “Griff was so willing to share Testudo, and I think he even felt pretty cool knowing that Testudo was his friend first. It says a lot about this school that they’d allow us to do that.”

The Greenwalt family made it out on the other side; after multiple blood transfusions, countless hospital stays, and living solely on hope. Eight months later, on October 17, 2019, Griff underwent his final round of chemotherapy and triumphantly rang the bell, signifying his resounding victory over the disease. 

Griff is now hoping to get his port out soon, but in the meantime, he’s excited to be able to go to all of the weekend field hockey matches where he can see his aunt play and maybe even get to talk to his friend Testudo again. 

Just because Griff has won his battle doesn’t mean the support has stopped. The Maryland field hockey team has adopted the “Goals For Griff” campaign, which is a pledgeable campaign where for each goal a Terp scores this year. Nearly $43 for each goal scored by Maryland this season will be donated to Griff and his family to help pay for his hospital expenses with a goal of reaching $5,000.

As a fifth-year senior captain, Kyler is used to being the one who picks her teammates up, but now, her teammates and her field hockey family are the ones who are supporting her and her family. 

“It means everything to Griff, my family, and me for our program to do this,” Kyler said. “To everyone who has donated, pledged, or even just shared our page, thank you. The kindness of this community is unbelievable, and I’m so proud to be a part of it. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Ringing Out

Ring this bell
Three times well
Its toll to clearly say,
My treatment’s done
This course is run
And I am on my way!

– Irve Le Moyne