Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: Maine Sports

Media Credit: Derek McKinley Matt Harmon was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma at the age of 10.

In William Ernest Henley's poem "Invictus," - Latin for "unconquered" - Henley writes, "The menace of the years finds, and shall find, me unafraid." First-year thrower Matt Harmon meets the menace of the years fearlessly every time he steps into the thrower's circle.

In the past few months, Harmon has been competing as a member of Invictus, the University of Maine club track team founded at the start of the fall semester, with hopes of joining the UMaine varsity team next fall.

"I think Matt is really showing what we want the track club to exemplify, as kind of a stepping stone, which has given him the opportunity to compete and hone his skills a little bit," Invictus President and Co-Founder Dillon Bates said. "When he does make the leap up to varsity, I think he'll be much better for it."

Harmon has competed at meets all over New England, consistently performing at a high level with honors such as a first-place finish at Maine USA Track and Field Club Championships.

"He's talented, and he's dedicated and quite simply makes a very good role model for the rest of the team," Invictus member Krista Ricupero said.

But as with most great athletes, Harmon's most important and life-changing battles have taken place outside the arena.

At age 10, Harmon was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after doctors discovered a tumor that caused severe spinal curvature, as well as a tumor in his calf and some of the disease in his liver and kidneys.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is used to describe any of a large group of cancers affecting the immune system. It is generally marked by enlarged lymph nodes, fever and unexplained weight loss. More than 66,000 new cases are diagnosed in a year, and 19,000 people die from the disease annually, according to the National Cancer Institute.

After successfully undergoing chemotherapy treatments, Harmon was given a clean bill of health, but recovery proved frustrating at times.

"My spine was curved, and I really couldn't walk because my spine was messed up," Harmon said. "I remember going down and playing basketball, trying to jump, and after a year of not being able to do physical activity, I couldn't jump, and I was so angry. I couldn't lift my legs more than a few inches."

Continued...

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