By Angie Ledbetter

The South Panola Lady Tigers fastpitch team will host their third annual Strike Out Cancer game on Monday, March 6 to benefit Cazarae

“Caz” Wilson, a student at Batesville Jr. High School.

The Lady Tigers will team up with Grenada again this year. In the past, the profits from the game were divided among different families in the community.

“We felt like he was somebody in our community that we could rally around,” said Lady Tiger assistant coach Ame Fletcher. “The kids could relate to him and we could actually put a name with a face that we’re out there doing something for.”

The players sold t-shirts to help raise funds.

“They are really excited about it and the community has really bought into them,” Fletcher said. “For the shirts that we sold, we went with blue, which is his favorite color, on white. Our game shirts say ‘A Cause for Caz’ this year instead of just the pink. It’s really about making the community aware of what we’re doing and why.”

Wilson, 14, is a seventh grade student. He was diagnosed in 2005 with medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumor where normal cells in the brain begin to change and grow uncontrollably, forming a mass. It begins in the granular cells in the back of the brain, the part that controls body movement and coordination. The cells grow and spread very aggressively at a high rate causing vision problems, delayed or abnormal growth, weakness and numbness, back pain and headaches. The tumors may spread through the spinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spine.

In November 2005, Wilson underwent surgery to remove much of the mass that went into the brain but doctors did not have to go inside his brain. 

He has become a frequent patient at St. Jude where he has undergone several months of chemotherapy and radiation and one time stayed a year. Wilson often makes trips to have fluid removed from his brain.

His mother, Vernesser Wilson, who is also battling cancer, said her son is an amazing child and keeps her going.

“He tells me that the devil is trying to get me but I tell him that he is not. Then he tells me that he is going to be alright.”

She said that with her going through treatments, it helps her to deal with him.

“Then we help each other,” she said. “I try to do things for him and keep his mind occupied. I know he wants to do things like all the other kids but he can’t.”

Vernesser said he likes playing his video games like X-Box and plays basketball with his small goal set up inside.

“He loves football and basketball. His favorite teams are the South Panola Tigers and the Ole Miss Rebels.”

In 2007 Caz was the recipient of a granted wish from Make-A-Wish at Lewisburg Middle School. His wish was to meet the entire South Panola 5A Championship football team. The team traveled to Olive Branch to surprise Wilson and give him an autographed ball.

He also likes watching television, according to his mother. His favorite show is Sanford and Son.

“I think he likes that because it makes him laugh,” she said. “He is a strong believer in God and loves going to church and singing. He attends St. Peter’s Missionary Baptist Church.”

In 1999, Vernesser was diagnosed with Gardner’s syndrome, a very rare cancer which is passed through heredity.

It has spread through her family and she has lost two sisters from the disease. One was 48 and died two years ago. She lost a 34-year-old sister last year to the disease.

Vernesser had over 300 polyps inside her when she underwent surgery, she said. The doctors had to remove part of her stomach, pancreas, gall bladder and spleen, rerouting everything inside her stomach. She currently takes a chemotherapy pill twice a day.

Due to cancer striking her first, Ms. Wilson had to go on disability. The struggles have continued and financial hardships have been a huge burden for her. They are both on lots of daily medications and live with her 74-year-old mother who also has some health problems. Living in the same household is Vernesser’s daughter who has three girls ages 8, 9 and 10.

“I don’t like going to people and asking for help but in Caz’s case, I can’t be too proud,” said Vernesser. “When I need help, I just have to ask for it. I also know that God will always make a way for us.”

Colleen Conner, Caz Wilson’s language art teacher, described him as very sweet and kind.

“He is a good student who works hard but of course he has some trouble,” she said. “He tells us when he can’t do something and he needs help. He never gets angry. When he goes to St. Jude for treatments or appointments, we just catch him up with his work.”

Conner said one of the students in the room, Jeremy, is kind of his caretaker who watches out for Caz and protects him. She said the other students are great with him also.

“Most of them knew him before he got cancer so they know what’s wrong with him,” she said.

The teachers love him, accoridng to Conner.

“Coach (Artee) Smith and Coach (Gary) Sims pick on him and tease him,” Conner said. “He threatens to beat the coaches up and they play around with him.”

Stephanie Hall, Wilson’s math teacher says he is a happy student.

“He tries hard and tries to please,” she said. “Every day is a struggle for him but he always has a positive attitude. It’s very hard to see him each day as his abilities decrease.”

Hall said watching him daily is also very hard on the other students.

“They’ve watched him at his best and watch him struggle each day,” she said. “All of them are very protective of him and sometimes they tend to baby him too much. They want to make sure he succeeds at whatever he does. We have to watch them because they tend to do too much for him.”

Sims described Caz as a brave and remarkable young man.

“He has a lot going against him but doesn’t use it as a crutch,” Sims said. “He is a great kid who comes to school and does his thing where most kids would stay home and wait for death. He is in the classroom across the hall from mine and every day he shakes his fist at me. We play around. I gave him a South Panola football hat and he wears that.”

The team is also selling luminaires for $5 that are in honor of or memory of someone that has or had cancer. Each player also got a sponsor for $20. The deadline for ordering luminaires is today. Call head coach Ashleigh Hicks for more information, 662-934-1133.

Wilson will throw out the first pitch before the varsity game starting at 6 p.m.