RANDLEMAN, N.C. — One year ago, life changed in an instant for a Triad family.
The football coach at Randleman High School stepped away from the game after his 1-year-old daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer.
The Timmons family went all the way to Memphis so Ophie could get the best care at St. Jude's.
The family is back in the Triad, coach is back on the sidelines, and Ophie is now 2, and cancer-free.
Head Coach Shane Timmons was on the football field Tuesday getting his guys ready for Friday's game.
"We all help each other, and I couldn't ask for a better group of guys to help me, go through my day-to-day," Timmons said.
Shane’s day-to-day hadn’t been the same since his 2-year-old daughter Ophie was diagnosed with brain cancer.
"I tell the kids, this is my hobby. Y'all are my pastime. You know, when I put the whistle up and I go and I do PT at home with Ophie, that's my real job and, and I'm pretty exhausted, to be honest at the end of the day," Timmons said. "Especially if we, me and my wife were splitting a night shift. I rejoice in that day that's given no matter how tired I am."
In May Ophie dealt with a major setback.
She developed necrosis where her good tissues were damaged from radiation negatively impacting her motor skills.
"She was walking with her walker. Then we had a huge physical backslide with the necrosis," Ophie's mom Ashley Timmons shared. "But we're getting stronger every day, still doing physical, occupational, and speech therapy every week."
That’s why Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, which is this month is so important to Ophie’s mom Ashley.
"There needs to be more funding for better treatments. Um I mean, Ophie’s proof if there's any other option, something other than radiation would be better because the cancer hasn't come back but we're dealing with the side effects of the toxic treatments that there are out there for kids," Ashely said.
According to St. Jude, more than 290 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer every week.
The Timmons are hopeful Ophie’s condition will improve and she can live a somewhat normal life.
"We got a long way to go, but we're making some headway," Ashley said.
Although Ophie is cancer-free for the next decade she’ll have to continue follow-up appointments with St. Jude.
Ophie's family will get an update on her recovery next week.