Colorado University Athletics

CU?s Newest Hoops Recruit Adds Different Perspective

CU?s Newest Hoops Recruit Adds Different Perspective

BOULDER GÇô The newest member of Colorado menGÇÖs basketballGÇÖs 2015 recruiting class, 6-year-old Cason Turkaly, sat in the BuffsGÇÖ media room flanked by his parents and his coach, with all of his teammates in attendance.

GÇ£Cason, weGÇÖve had our eye on you for six or eight weeks now,GÇ¥ coach Tad Boyle said. GÇ£We love everything that you bring to the table. YouGÇÖre a terrific young man and we know you love basketball. We think youGÇÖre going to fit in with this Buffalo family.GÇ¥

Cason picked up a pen, put his signature on the dotted line of a National Letter of Intent and made it official, even though heGÇÖd been part of the family from the start.

GÇ£It means that IGÇÖm a part of the team,GÇ¥ Cason said. GÇ£It feels great!GÇ¥

Boyle presented Cason with a No. 6 jersey with his name on it. From the back of the room came a whoop from CasonGÇÖs favorite player, GÇ£big tall JoshGÇ¥ Scott.

Colorado drafted Cason through its partnership with Team IMPACT, a nonprofit that improves the lives of children with life-threatening and chronic illnesses by placing them with teams.

GÇ£We jumped at the opportunity,GÇ¥ CU Director of Operations Bill Cartun said. GÇ£ItGÇÖs something we really wanted to take part in because we think that we can make an impact on his life. HeGÇÖs made an impact in our lives as well.GÇ¥

Cason was diagnosed with Schwachman-Diamond Syndrome (SDS) when he was two years old. SDS is a rare genetic disorder that causes bone marrow deficiencies, digestive issues and immune deficiencies. There is also a high rate of leukemia associated with SDS.

GÇ£Part of my mission as a parent is to educate the wider public about it,GÇ¥ CasonGÇÖs mom, Jen, said. GÇ£IGÇÖm going to ask you guys to spread the word in the greater community.GÇ¥

CasonGÇÖs parents searched for the first two years of his life for a diagnosis for the digestive issues and lack of growth that no doctor could suitably treat. With the diagnosis came certainty and fear. Cason has blood work done every six weeks and sees specialists four times a year. He has an annual bone marrow aspiration to test for leukemia.

GÇ£It was that blessing and a curse thing,GÇ¥ Jen Turkaly said. GÇ£Those are some scary things to learn about.GÇ¥

But last year Cason went an entire school year without an inpatient hospital stay for the first time. He munches on mac and cheese, bologna and chocolate ice cream. He skis and plays basketball and soccer. He builds Legos, dresses up as superheroes and sword fights with his dad, Eddie.

GÇ£We learned to appreciate that little smile and his little bounce,GÇ¥ Jen said. GÇ£Every healthy day that we have we are thankful for. We want you guys (Buffs players) to be appreciative of that, too. As you get up out of bed in the morning and youGÇÖre healthy and youGÇÖre happy and get to go to class and play basketball and do the things that you get to do, being a part of CasonGÇÖs life, we want you to be appreciative of that.GÇ¥

When the press conference ended, CasonGÇÖs new family left for practice with bounces in their steps. Boyle beamed as he got up from the media table.

GÇ£It lends great perspective to our lives,GÇ¥ he said.