Mother-daughter bond strengthened through tennis

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Deb McDill’s local health club closed down for the unforeseeable future. Needing to get some kind of aerobic workout, McDill decided to enroll in beginner tennis lessons in Omaha. Her daughter, April, joined her.

“I was skeptical, as I’d always played team sports like soccer or sand volleyball,” April said. “But after the first few lessons with Larry Copeland, I was hooked and ready to learn something new.”

Deb and April’s love of tennis lasted beyond the pandemic, and they eventually decided to play competitively in local USTA Nebraska adult leagues. They even played doubles together when they were able to do so. In 2024, they hit a speed bump.

“I was diagnosed in March 2024 with Stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) breast cancer,” Deb said. “Ironically, my radiation oncologist also plays tennis, knows my son Andy and was playing on opposite teams during the time I was having treatments.”

“When she was initially diagnosed, she was most worried about not being able to play tennis and not advancing her skills,” April added.

Deb took a pause from tennis and went through some radiation treatments as she dealt with the new diagnosis. Even though her radiation treatments weren’t finished yet, Deb and April decided to play 3.0 doubles together in a USTA 18 & Over tournament in Springfield, Mo. at the end of June. Not only did they compete, but they won their division.

“I was so proud of her; we fought great opponents,” April said. “We were both tired, but we never gave up and kept fighting hard. It’s one thing for me to have endurance, but she was going through radiation treatments and wasn’t able to play as much this year. I was so impressed with how hard she was playing and fighting.”

“April battled through the grueling heat and two tiebreakers for second place in singles, then played three doubles matches the next day with me against the heat again to claim our first-place victory,” Deb said.

With Deb’s radiation treatments behind her, Deb and April are looking ahead. They’re hoping to keep playing tennis, getting better and meeting new tennis friends as they go. Deb’s prognosis is good with continued follow-ups and medication for the next five years.

“Just because you exercise and eat healthy, cancer doesn’t care. But it sure helps to overcome it,” Deb said. “Remember to be aware and seek out cancer screening.”