From Chemo to the Course
David Dietrich
Chase Gorder has golfed longer than he can remember. One of his earliest birthday gifts was a set of real clubs, upgrading from the plastic collection he used in the family kitchen. A natural athlete, Gorder played five sports throughout middle school. His goal was to golf in college, so he dropped the other sports before his freshman year of high school. After a successful 2019 season, he continued practicing in February 2020 before falling ill. Symptoms of fever, cough and fatigue led doctors to believe he had pneumonia, but when his fatigue reached the point of falling asleep while doing homework before dinner, it was recommended he go in for a CT scan. The results were enough to send the Anthem, Arizona, native to Phoenix Children’s Hospital for an official diagnosis. In early March, Gorder and his parents were given the gut-wrenching news: Chase had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, a part of the immune system that fights germs and diseases.
The news had a bigger impact on Gorder’s parents, with Chase admitting he was too “young and naive” to truly understand what was happening. He felt immediate support, with multiple visits from friends and family. Just a few days into his hospital stay, Gorder’s life was turned upside down again. The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic, shifting his entire setup and adding a terrifying factor to an already bleak situation. Visits from friends, family and college golf teams were canceled. Gorder was one of countless immunocompromised individuals who faced a higher risk of not only getting COVID-19, but suffering from more severe effects. Unfortunately, this was only the first obstacle of a long, painstaking treatment process.
The cancer caused a blood clot in Gorder’s superior vena cava, the body’s second-largest vein and the one responsible for returning oxygen-depleted blood from the upper body to the heart. He also had fluid in his lungs, which required the insertion of a chest tube. This procedure typically involves full anesthesia, but the blood clot meant the amount of pressure on Gorder’s lungs could become life-threatening. He underwent the procedure with partial anesthesia but has no memory of the surgery, only the anxiety he felt in the moments before.
The anxiety grew over the next month. Gorder, who never even had a blood draw before his symptoms, received a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in his arm. The PICC line allowed access to the veins near his heart without the use of needlesticks, but he still received two blood thinner injections a day. As the blood clot went away, he was prescribed an oral blood thinner. Finally able to start treatment for his lymphoma, Gorder prepared for his first round of chemotherapy. Yet again, he suffered a traumatic setback.
On his very first round of treatment, Gorder went into anaphylactic shock, losing breath and turning purple before blacking out. His mother, who had been responsible for injecting him with the blood thinners, sprang into action. According to her post on GoFundMe, she “did a flying leap over a chair and pulled the cord so hard I ripped the unit right off the wall. In seconds, the room was filled with multiple doctors and nurses yelling and scrambling as I watched Chase’s entire body turn purple. I tried to get out of the way and wound up collapsing on the floor in the hallway until they had him back.”
After switching to a different drug to limit the adverse effects, Gorder began the four-month treatment process. The first three months were chemotherapy, followed by a month of radiation. The earliest weeks were difficult, as he spent five hours a day, seven days a week in treatment. As the weeks progressed, the number of days he spent in treatment decreased, but the number of tests increased. CT scans, bone density tests and X-rays occupied Gorder’s schedule. Most dreaded was the PET scan, which required him to remain motionless in the rotation machine for 50 minutes. “I don’t think I could do that now,” he admitted. “I did okay with it then, but it feels so claustrophobic.”
One of the final stages of chemotherapy necessitated the use of doxorubicin, commonly referred to as “The Red Devil.” According to Gorder, it was the harshest of his treatment methods. The powerful drug produces intense side effects, such as nausea, vomiting and hair loss. Leaning on his support system as much as ever, Gorder looks back on the time much differently than most.
While the rest of the world was quarantined and stuck inside, Gorder had the opportunity to rest and connect with friends. “I was at home like everyone else. That was the benefit of it. I just played video games with my buddies. I was still able to talk to them. I wasn't missing golf tournaments. Everything for school was online,” he explained. “I wasn't much of a movie person, and by the end of that, I felt like I’d watched every movie.”
The support from the golf community and his local community boosted his spirits and confidence throughout the days. He received a video of encouragement from his favorite golfer, Tony Finau. Another professional, Joel Dahmen, sent him a signed hat. Friends and teammates sported bracelets and golf equipment with his initials. Make-A-Wish couldn’t provide an experience because of the pandemic, but the organization still sent Gorder his own simulator. “I had a ton of support from people I’m close with and people I barely knew,” he said. “It was really cool.”
With chemo complete and the PICC line removed, Gorder began radiation and the gradual reintroduction to golf. The radiation treatment was required five days a week, but only took 15 minutes. As side effects decreased, Gorder worked his way back to the course, even getting to the point where he could play a practice round before going to radiation.
“When I look back at those practice videos, they’re hilarious. I was so pale, I was swinging the club so slow and I looked like I was 10 years old,” Gorder said. “Mentally, there was definitely a difference. Golf can be a frustrating sport and you can let the bad shots go a little easier when you’re worried about if you still have cancer. It made me much stronger.”
As radiation concluded, Gorder brought his refreshed mentality to a tournament for the first time. Playing in a junior championship qualifier, he shot a 74 in back-to-back rounds, which he says was “pretty good, considering everything I had going on.” He intentionally played in the first group during the second round, driving straight to radiation after finishing on the course.
On August 12, 2020, Gorder finished his final radiation treatment. Over the next six weeks, he enjoyed the slight return to normalcy, practicing golf and going to school. On September 29, 2020, Gorder was wrapping up practice when he saw his parents with balloons. It was official: Chase was cancer-free.
“From there, it was all about golf,” said Gorder. He still had weekly follow-up appointments for six months, but those eventually were spaced to bi-weekly and monthly. His golf game continued to improve, as he climbed into the state’s top 15 rankings and was mentioned on a national list of 250 junior golfers by the time he graduated from Boulder Creek High School. He committed to New Mexico but did not play as a freshman, opting to enter the transfer portal at the end of the season. He quickly connected with Boise State head coach David Trainor.
Trainor heard parts of Gorder’s story from Glen Millican, who recruited Chase to the Lobos. “My initial thought was ‘Wow, this kid can climb Mount Everest,’” said Trainor. “I brought him on a visit and he checked all the boxes athletically, academically and as a person. We made an offer and he accepted.”
Gorder has made the most of his young career with the Broncos, playing in multiple tournaments as a redshirt freshman last season. He has bonded with his teammates and coaches, citing their support for his growth. “DT (David Trainor) has helped me so much. He won’t take credit, but I’ve made huge improvements and my teammates see it,” said Gorder.
The progress culminated in Boise State’s most recent tournament, the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Gorder fired a career-low 209 (-7), 11 strokes better than his previous best. He finished sixth, competing as one of 40 individuals.
“Playing well means so much to me after all I have been through. Not just with my health, but with the growing pains on the course,” said Gorder. “I feel like I’m growing into the player I want to become. To overcome what I did and be living out my dreams playing college golf is really special to me.”
Each year, Gorder is among dozens of Broncos volunteering at Make-A-Wish Idaho’s Serving Up Wishes Gala. Partnering with Boise State BroncoLife, the group provides an unforgettable night in the Treasure Valley for student-athletes and children with critical illnesses. His impact on and off the course is felt throughout the program, according to Trainor.
“He’s loved by his teammates. It’s a special group,” said the head coach. “He takes care of his business on the golf course and in the classroom. He’s a funny kid and a great person to travel with.”
Off the course, Gorder is a Mountain West Scholar-Athlete, majoring in kinesiology. Beating cancer has inspired him to pursue a career in the medical field, with the goal of attending physician assistant school upon graduation. “Part of it is because of my diagnosis,” he explained. “It’d be really cool to help people out like how I got helped.”
In a few days, Gorder will reach a significant landmark in his journey. September 29, 2025, will mark five years of remission. The timing is almost poetic. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Lymphoma Awareness Month.
“The worst part about cancer is it can always come back,” Gorder said. “Once you hit the five-year mark, you can really let it go. The chances of it coming back are so low.”
When asked about the meaning of celebrating five years of remission with Gorder, Trainor became emotional.
“I’m a father of two boys. All I can say is God bless Chase and his family. I’m glad he’s a Bronco. Under circumstances that weren’t his fault, he came through better on the other side. Jeramiah Dickey talks about how we’re built differently. Chase Gorder is built differently.”Boise State men's golf head coach David Trainor