If
Rachel Mobley were to never win or play in another soccer season, it wouldn't matter. She's won at the game of life.
Mobley is a student-athlete at Campbellsville University. She's just like your average college student — likes listening to music, talking about politics and religion as well as spending time with her friends and family. Mobley had a normal life in high school where she played soccer and was a great student in the classroom.
At a glance, Mobley looks like any normal college teenager. But there's more to her story.
The two-inch scar on her neck separates her from others. That scar is a constant reminder of thyroid cancer.
Prior to her senior year in high school Mobley got the news that she had cancer. It was a shock to her family when she got the news in May of 2014. That summer proved to not be your average break for a teenage girl.
In June she had surgery to have the cancer removed. After the surgery she didn't give up. She got her strength back and still played soccer her senior year for Central Hardin. But after the season it was back in the hospital for Mobley, to undergo radiation as part of her therapy.
"The radiation was the hardest part," Mobley said.
Radiation consisted of a pill that poisons the body, forcing her into isolation for several days. The radioactive iodine that went into her body killed the cancer cells.
After her senior year, Mobley signed to play soccer at Campbellsville University. She had a great freshman year, made many friends and played soccer — exactly what she had always dreamed of doing. Mobley helped The Lady Tigers to a 19-3 record as a freshman, as well as a first-ever NAIA National Tournament bid and No. 14 national ranking.
"It was so neat going to Orange Beach, Ala. That was really cool."
After the season, Mobley started to feel tired again. But she didn't think it was anything to freak out about.
"I'd have little spells where I had this tiredness," she said.
She wasn't worried because the last time she went in for a check-up her blood levels read normal.
But in May of 2016 Mobley got the news that her thyroid cancer had returned. This was exactly two years from her first battle with it. So it was back in the hospital for Mobley. She had a second surgery in June and right after that there was another bout with radiation.
"I had to stay positive, and be the rock for my family, because everyone was feeling sorry for me," Mobley remembered. "I didn't want it to define me. When you get sick it puts things into perspective. Going through it again puts it more in perspective."
After facing thyroid cancer for the second time Mobley started to look ahead.
She said, "It's hard to know if I'll play. I don't know if I'm paranoid or what, but when I run it hurts, when I breathe it burns. I'm worried, but my goal is to start feeling good again."
Just like she doesn't want to be defined by cancer, she also doesn't want to just be labeled as a soccer player. Mobley is leaning on her faith and started hitting the books a little hard. Mobley wants to go to medical school and be a doctor, which will be a great feat figuring what she has gone through.
"The team and I really enjoy having Rachel on our team," said her coach,
Thom Jones. "She is positive and gives all she has for this program. She is so positive and encouraging that you would never know she had cancer. Mobley will beat this and has a lot of people praying for her."
Throughout this entire battle Mobley has kept a smile on her face and made sure that she didn't change as a person. After she completed her second bout with thyroid cancer she was asked what her plans were for the future.
"The future? I want to make a difference."
