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Escondido senior defies doc's Expectations

Three-sport athlete wins CIF award, overcomes early childhood ailments

By Kevin Gemmell UNION-TRIBUNE COMMUNITY SPORTS WRITER

May 25, 2005 ESCONDIDO – A compromised life – that's what doctors predicted Briten Douglas would live after being born without a bladder or pelvis from a condition called bladder exstrophy. That's if she survived the surgery four hours after her birth. But she made no compromises, even after doctors found 69 percent of her blood was cancerous when she was diagnosed with leukemia at age 4. She beat every illness and ailment life threw at her and became a three-sport varsity athlete for Escondido High – despite several brushes with death and a medical history cloudier than a Seattle winter.

"It's been a weird experience because I can relate to nobody," said Douglas, 18. "I spent most of my life with doctors and nurses. When I finally got mainstreamed into school, I was determined to make every moment count." Douglas, who graduates in two weeks, has done just that, earning varsity letters in water polo, tennis and swimming. All while serving as captain of the cheerleading team and a member of the National Honor Society.

"You look at this girl and you'd think she's never had a bad day in her life," said Corinna Douglas, her mother. "But when you have a newborn that had to be sliced and diced, and then to deal with cancer, you have to ask yourself, 'How many times can she be cursed?' " Douglas hit a low point when she spent her 10th birthday in the hospital. While their young patient was fighting infections that once again brought her to the edge of death, Douglas' doctors simply gave up. "Instead of me wasting away in the hospital, they sent me home," Douglas said. "They sent me home to die." But she didn't. She got better, and doctors couldn't explain the turnaround. "I just randomly started getting better," Douglas said. "I yanked out my IV and just started to feel better. By 11 and 12, I was up and running."

Earlier this month, Douglas was honored at an awards banquet by the California Interscholastic Federation, earning the Spirit of Sport award for spring athletes. She was nominated by Escondido High Athletic Director Paul Gomes. The award goes to male and female athletes each season who are active in school and community service and exhibit leadership qualities. That's Douglas. She's an ambassador for the American Cancer Society, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and San Diego Children's Hospital.

In 2002-03, she was named the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Of America's Young Woman of the Year, and she speaks for several area foundations. "Briten is one of those rare students who clearly understands that the greatest joys in life come from the giving of one's self to worthy causes and that individuals can make a difference," said Escondido Principal Steve Boyle. "She represents the best Escondido High School has to offer. As a principal I am always thankful for the positive role model she plays on our campus and in our community. She truly makes a difference in people's lives."

Even her tennis partner at Escondido, sophomore Kayla Dukat, thrived on Douglas' zest for life during matches. "She has to be one of the most positive people I know and that's a big help on the court," said Dukat, 15. "She always has a positive outlook on things. Sometimes a partner can get down and that drags you down. But that never happened with her. She always had a great attitude."

Douglas is off to UC Santa Barbara in the fall where she'll major in biochemistry. "Every time she does another amazing accomplishment, another achievement, the excitement and emotion just well up in me," Corinna said. "They always told her no, and they told us no. But she didn't listen. She broke through those barriers. For her, there were no boundaries." Or compromises.

 

Kevin Gemmell: 619-718-5304; kevin.gemmell@uniontrib.com

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