A pillar of support

Published 5:23 pm Monday, September 8, 2008

Lynnwood High School senior Alanna Eddy juggles a more hectic schedule than the average 17-year-old.

She’s a three-sport athlete and honors student, balancing volleyball, basketball and track while maintaining her 3.7 grade point average. She’s also a mentor to an underclassman through Link Crew, a photographer for the yearbook and a volunteer volleyball and basketball coach.

Last April, her mother, Glenda, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Since then, Alanna has become Glenda’s confidant and a pillar of support and strength as her mother undergoes treatment.

“(My mom) has always been there for me,” said Alanna.

“I think (going through the cancer treatment) has made us closer,” she continued. “She’ll be in bed because she’s tired and she’ll just talk to me about how she feels. I remember during the cancer treatments, her crying and I’d be there in the room, hugging her and telling her it’s going to be okay.”

When Glenda began losing her hair as a side effect of the cancer treatment, Alanna devised a unique way to help. She cut off 10 inches of her hair — which she had been growing long for several years — and surprised her mom with a wig for Mother’s Day.

“I love my hair long,” said Alanna. “But since my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, I figured I’d take some of my hair and give it to her.”

Jean Kellogg, the head volleyball coach at Lynnwood, wasn’t too surprised by Alanna’s selfless act as she knew that Alanna was the type of person to put others first.

Alanna has always had a close relationship with her mom and they have only grown closer in the past several months since the diagnosis.

“(Alanna) always puts others before herself,” said Glenda. “She’s a very kind person. I couldn’t ask for a better kid.”

Glenda has finished chemotherapy, has six radiation treatments left and will undoubtedly have the support of her daughter throughout the next several months.

Ever since Alanna was a child, her mother has been involved in all her athletic endeavors. She’s always been one of the team moms and attends every match, game or meet Alanna is in. Glenda is also the one that the coaches can count on to organize fundraisers and other team events.

Alanna’s been playing volleyball for the past four seasons and this will be her first season starting on the varsity team. Last year she floated between varsity and J.V. She began on the freshman volleyball team before moving up to J.V. as a sophomore.

“She’s a great middle blocker,” said Kellogg. “She’s a consistent player, very hardworking and gives everything that she can.”

After playing basketball since third grade, she decided as a freshman to broaden her athletic horizon and chose volleyball to help improve her jumping and movement.

“I like the girls (on the volleyball team) and the chemistry we have,” said Alanna. “I just love being a part of the team.”

After the volleyball season ends in November, Alanna will begin her fourth year on the Royals’ varsity basketball team. In the spring, she’ll compete in the discus and shot put events for the Lynnwood track team. Last year she finished first in Districts and fifth in Wesco for the discus.

In addition to playing sports, Alanna volunteers on Tuesday and Thursday to coach a sixth grade girls basketball team as part of her senior project. She also has volunteered at a youth volleyball camp and has been a camp counselor for several years at Martha Lake Elementary, where she helps teach fifth graders about the outdoors.

After Alanna graduates in the spring, she hopes to stay local and attend the University of Washington, Western Washington University or Seattle University and would like to continue to play sports.

“We’re going to see more and more great things from her,” said Kellogg.