#runningforcoachbarham

Coach Sam Barham has been transforming lives of young people as an educator and coach for over 42 years. He has touched the lives of countless people from Tennessee all the way down to Louisiana. People may know him from coaching them in Memphis, Mississippi, Zachary, Baker, Clinton or at his most recent tour at Parkview Baptist School in Baton Rouge. His passion for coaching and for Christ are obvious to anyone who has had the pleasure of knowing him. The kids he has coached have gone on to become professional athletes, doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers, and countless other careers.

On Thursday, October 20, 2016, Coach Sam Barham was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He was immediately admitted into Our Lady of the Lake Hospital here in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to begin a rigorous 6 week stretch of chemotherapy. Sam, being the competitor he is asked the doctor what the record response was to the treatment. He told him that it was 15 days. Coach said his goal is to beat that.

When he received word that he has cancer, his cross country team was in the last weeks of their season. After leaving practice on Thursday, October 20^th, his doctor informed him of the news and he began treatment immediately the next day. Because the season was not over, the cross country team wanted coach to know he was still present at all of their meets. The team made posters and cut outs of his head attached to Popsicle sticks to hold up while the team ran their races. The team also FaceTime with Coach Barham so that he could watch the athletes compete in their races. The team and the school has made t-shirts with the hashtag #runningforcoachbarham to show their love and support for him while he undergoes treatment.

After 42 years of coaching, this year the girls’ varsity team has a chance to win the Louisiana State Cross Country Meet 3A title in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Coach Barham has never won a state title but has come very close many times. On Thursday, November 10^th, Coach Barham asked for the girls’ varsity team to come to his hospital room so that he could talk race strategy with them for the upcoming state meet. Nothing, not even cancer, can hold him back from doing the thing he loves to do the most, coach.  It was great for the girls to see their coach and his faith in them stronger than ever to bring home the state title. The team, the school and community is rallying together in hopes of a victory. The team is more determined than ever.

After one week of chemotherapy and one week of blood transfusions and rest, his doctor took a bone marrow test on Friday, November 4^th to determine whether there is cancer still in his body. On Tuesday, November 8^th, he received word that he is cancer FREE. He didn’t beat the record of 15 days but he sure did come close. He currently is in the hospital recovering from the side effects of the treatment and is hoping to go home soon. Although he is currently cancer free, he is too weak and too receptive to infection to travel to the state meet. Instead he will be watching the boys and girls teams compete via FaceTime.

–Article by Assistant Cross Country Coach Meagan Faulk