Prior to their home game against Jenkins on Sept. 16, the Long County Lady Tide honored one of their own and remembered another during their annual Pink Out Night.

Jackie Pattison threw out the first pitch of the night to her daughter, Mackenzie, who is a freshman on the Long County team. Pattison said her battle with cancer began in 2014, when she discovered a larger-than-normal lump on her right breast in June.

She said that on Aug. 21, a biopsy was conducted; seven days later, she and her family learned that it was cancer.
She said that a few minutes later, her husband, Dennis, came in to join her, and she broke down into tears.

Pattison said she thought to herself, “I can’t have cancer,I’m Supermom, I work full-time, I have upcoming travels for work, I don’t have time for this crap.”

She was diagnosed with Stage III-A invasive ductal carcinoma and was had chemotherapy for five months. She said that in February, she had a double mastectomy and then six more weeks of radiation.

“I lost my hair, the feeling in my hands and feet, pain radiated through my body. But I never lost my faith in God or my sense of humor,” Pattison said.
She said she also had tremendous support from her family, friends, church and the community. She now says she encourages all people to listen to their bodies and for all women to have their scheduled mammograms.

Following Pattison’s pitch, 2015 graduate and former Lady Tide player Brittney Smiley threw out the second pitch of the night in remembrance of her mother, Carolyn, who lost her battle with cancer July 1. Smiley had lived in Long County since 1990 and was a big supporter of the Lady Tide softball team.

After the two ladies made their throws, each received hugs from the Lady Tide and Jenkins players, family members and friends.

The night was topped off by the Lady Tide beating the Lady Warriors 8-0.