Back on track: Roller derby skater returns after fight with cancer

Joe Ahlquist / The Rochester Post Bulletin

"Nervous, but ready," said Cat Thisius going into the MedCity Mafia roller derby team's last game of the season.

Just over 100 days earlier Thisius had a double mastectomy to remove breast cancer.

Over the last few months, Thisius, who also works as the Rainbow School director and an enrichments teacher, has been working toward playing in MedCity Mafia's last bout of the season.

Thisius achieved her goal, and helped her team beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.

“I got my wish,” she said.

“Everything led up to tonight.”

Cat Thisius"Nervous, but ready," Said Cat Thisius going into the MedCity Mafia roller derby team's last game of the season. Just over 100 days earlier Thisius had a double mastectomy to remove breast cancer. Over the last few months, Thisius, who also works as the Rainbow School director and an enrichments teacher, has been working toward playing in MedCity Mafia's last bout of the season. Thisius achieved her goal, and helped her team beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98. “I got my wish,” she said. “Everything led up to tonight.”

Cat Thisius, who plays for the MedCity Mafia Roller Derby team, huddles with her teammates before their last game of the season against the Minnesota Southbound Rollers Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Graham Arena in Rochester. Thisius played in her first game back with her team Saturday after having surgery to treat breast cancer 103 days earlier, fulfilling her goal to play in the last game of the season. "Nervous, but ready," Thisius said before the game. MedCity Mafia beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.

Cat Thisius, who plays for the MedCity Mafia Roller Derby team, huddles with her teammates before their last game of the season against the Minnesota Southbound Rollers Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Graham Arena in Rochester. Thisius played in her first game back with her team Saturday after having surgery to treat breast cancer 103 days earlier, fulfilling her goal to play in the last game of the season. "Nervous, but ready," Thisius said before the game. MedCity Mafia beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.

 

Cat ThisiusCat Thisius, who plays on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team, takes a breather during a practice Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester. Thisius returned to practice the week before after having surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year. "I'm amazed at the progress from this week to last," Thisius said during her third practice back with the team. "Nothing hurts," she said.

Cat Thisius, who plays on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team, takes a breather during a practice Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester. Thisius returned to practice the week before after having surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year. "I'm amazed at the progress from this week to last," Thisius said during her third practice back with the team. "Nothing hurts," she said.

 

Cat ThisiusNames of people Cat Thisius finds inspiring can be seen on the inside her helmet as she gears up for a MedCity Mafia roller derby practice Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester. Thisius returned to practice the week before after having surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year. "I'm amazed at the progress from this week to last," Thisius said later in the practice. "Nothing hurts," she said.

Names of people Cat Thisius finds inspiring can be seen on the inside her helmet as she gears up for a MedCity Mafia roller derby practice Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester. Thisius returned to practice the week before after having surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year. "I'm amazed at the progress from this week to last," Thisius said later in the practice. "Nothing hurts," she said.

 

Cat ThisiusCat Thisius, who plays on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team and is recovering from surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year, works with assistant sports performance coach Becky Salfai Wednesday morning, May 16, 2018, at Olmsted Medical Center Sports Medicine and Athletic Performance in Rochester. Salfai, who has been the lead strength and conditioning coach for the Med City Mafia roller derby team since October of 2017, said Thisius' workouts haven't changed a whole lot from before her surgery because she was in such good shape, and that the workouts have just adapted because of restrictions from Thisius' physical therapist.

Cat Thisius, who plays on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team and is recovering from surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year, works with assistant sports performance coach Becky Salfai Wednesday morning, May 16, 2018, at Olmsted Medical Center Sports Medicine and Athletic Performance in Rochester. Salfai, who has been the lead strength and conditioning coach for the Med City Mafia roller derby team since October of 2017, said Thisius' workouts haven't changed a whole lot from before her surgery because she was in such good shape, and that the workouts have just adapted because of restrictions from Thisius' physical therapist.

 

Cat ThisiusCat Thisius, who plays on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team, looks on while looking on as teammates take part in contact drills during a practice Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester. Thisius returned to practice the week before after having surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year. Thisius said she hoped to be taking part in some contact drills at the next practice, more than a week away. "I'm amazed at the progress from this week to last," Thisius said during her third practice back with the team. "Nothing hurts," she said.

Cat Thisius, who plays on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team, looks on while looking on as teammates take part in contact drills during a practice Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester. Thisius returned to practice the week before after having surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year. Thisius said she hoped to be taking part in some contact drills at the next practice, more than a week away. "I'm amazed at the progress from this week to last," Thisius said during her third practice back with the team. "Nothing hurts," she said.

 

Cat ThisiusCat Thisius, who plays on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team, laughs after falling down with teammate Ashley Jones while taking part in some of her first contact drills since rejoining the team during a practice Monday, May 7, 2018, at the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester. Thisius returned to practice in April after having surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year. Monday's practice was her first practice taking part in contact drills. "No, I'm ready," she said of whether or not she was nervous.

Cat Thisius, who plays on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team, laughs after falling down with teammate Ashley Jones while taking part in some of her first contact drills since rejoining the team during a practice Monday, May 7, 2018, at the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester. Thisius returned to practice in April after having surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year. Monday's practice was her first practice taking part in contact drills. "No, I'm ready," she said of whether or not she was nervous.

 

Cat ThisiusCat Thisius, Rainbow School director and enrichments teacher, and her students play with magnifying glasses during science and Spanish enrichment class for 4- and 5-year-olds Friday, May 11, 2018, at Zumbro Lutheran Church in Rochester. Thisius, who is also on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team, had surgery earlier this year to treat her breast cancer. Thisius said her surgery affected everyone including her students and roller derby team.

Cat Thisius, Rainbow School director and enrichments teacher, and her students play with magnifying glasses during science and Spanish enrichment class for 4- and 5-year-olds Friday, May 11, 2018, at Zumbro Lutheran Church in Rochester. Thisius, who is also on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team, had surgery earlier this year to treat her breast cancer. Thisius said her surgery affected everyone including her students and roller derby team.

 

Cat ThisiusCat Thisius, who plays on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team and is recovering from surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year, helps her teammates tape out the track Wednesday evening, May 16, 2018, at Graham Arena in Rochester ahead of their home bout on Saturday. "It's weird not skating," Thisius said of the upcoming bout. Cat said she has skated in every home bout in the last couple of years besides Saturday's and one in March when she was recovering from surgery. "I feel invested, and being here is important,' Thisius said of helping out her teammates tape out the track. Thisius plans on skating in the team's last home bout in June.

Cat Thisius, who plays on the MedCity Mafia roller derby team and is recovering from surgery to treat her breast cancer earlier this year, helps her teammates tape out the track Wednesday evening, May 16, 2018, at Graham Arena in Rochester ahead of their home bout on Saturday. "It's weird not skating," Thisius said of the upcoming bout. Cat said she has skated in every home bout in the last couple of years besides Saturday's and one in March when she was recovering from surgery. "I feel invested, and being here is important," Thisius said of helping out her teammates tape out the track. Thisius plans on skating in the team's last home bout in June.

 

Cat ThisiusCat Thisius, who plays for the MedCity Mafia Roller Derby team, skates against the Minnesota Southbound Rollers during their last game of the season Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Graham Arena in Rochester. Thisius played in her first game back with her team Saturday after having surgery to treat breast cancer 103 days earlier, fulfilling her goal to play in the last game of the season. "Nervous, but ready," Thisius said before the game. MedCity Mafia beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.

Cat Thisius, who plays for the MedCity Mafia Roller Derby team, skates against the Minnesota Southbound Rollers during their last game of the season Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Graham Arena in Rochester. Thisius played in her first game back with her team Saturday after having surgery to treat breast cancer 103 days earlier, fulfilling her goal to play in the last game of the season. "Nervous, but ready," Thisius said before the game. MedCity Mafia beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.

 

Cat ThisiusTerry Thisius cheers on his wife Cat Thisius, who plays for the MedCity Mafia Roller Derby team, during their last game of the season against the Minnesota Southbound Rollers Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Graham Arena in Rochester. Thisius played in her first game back with her team Saturday after having surgery to treat breast cancer 103 days earlier, fulfilling her goal to play in the last game of the season. "Nervous, but ready," Thisius said before the game. MedCity Mafia beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.

Terry Thisius cheers on his wife Cat Thisius, who plays for the MedCity Mafia Roller Derby team, during their last game of the season against the Minnesota Southbound Rollers Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Graham Arena in Rochester. Thisius played in her first game back with her team Saturday after having surgery to treat breast cancer 103 days earlier, fulfilling her goal to play in the last game of the season. "Nervous, but ready," Thisius said before the game. MedCity Mafia beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.

 

Cat ThisiusCat Thisius, who plays for the MedCity Mafia Roller Derby team, gets a hug from a teammate after it was announced that the team was donating $345--Thisius' number--to the charity of the night, Join the Journey, an organization that assists people that have been diagnosed with breast cancer, in her honor at halftime of their last game of the season against the Minnesota Southbound Rollers Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Graham Arena in Rochester. Thisius played in her first game back with her team Saturday after having surgery to treat breast cancer 103 days earlier, fulfilling her goal to play in the last game of the season. "Nervous, but ready," Thisius said before the game. MedCity Mafia beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.

Cat Thisius, who plays for the MedCity Mafia Roller Derby team, gets a hug from a teammate after it was announced that the team was donating $345--Thisius' number--to the charity of the night, Join the Journey, an organization that assists people that have been diagnosed with breast cancer, in her honor at halftime of their last game of the season against the Minnesota Southbound Rollers Saturday, June 16, 2018, at Graham Arena in Rochester. Thisius played in her first game back with her team Saturday after having surgery to treat breast cancer 103 days earlier, fulfilling her goal to play in the last game of the season. "Nervous, but ready," Thisius said before the game. MedCity Mafia beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.

 

Cat ThisiusCat Thisius, who plays for the MedCity Mafia Roller Derby team, hangs out with her teammates, an after-game tradition, at Glynner's Pub after their last game of the season against the Minnesota Southbound Rollers Saturday, June 16, 2018, in Rochester. Thisius played in her first game back with her team Saturday after having surgery to treat breast cancer 103 days earlier, fulfilling her goal to play in the last game of the season. "Nervous, but ready," Thisius said before the game. MedCity Mafia beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.

Cat Thisius, who plays for the MedCity Mafia Roller Derby team, hangs out with her teammates, an after-game tradition, at Glynner's Pub after their last game of the season against the Minnesota Southbound Rollers Saturday, June 16, 2018, in Rochester. Thisius played in her first game back with her team Saturday after having surgery to treat breast cancer 103 days earlier, fulfilling her goal to play in the last game of the season. "Nervous, but ready," Thisius said before the game. MedCity Mafia beat the Minnesota Southbound Rollers 266-98.