La Habra’s Wickersham Loses Fight With Cancer

Wendell Wickersham’s 29-month battle against cancer ended quietly Thursday when he died on the shores of Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County. He was 19.

Wickersham, a standout basketball player at La Habra High School, was diagnosed with cancer in March, 1991. As a junior during the 1990-91 season, the 6-foot-6 forward with long arms and a feathery shooting touch averaged 17.6 points and was a first-team All-Freeway League selection.

His play attracted the attention of scouts from Stanford, Notre Dame, Army, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine and San Diego State.

But Wickersham’s playing career ended when doctors discovered he had embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma , a rare and particularly virulent form of cancer that usually strikes young children. In older victims, it is usually fatal.

During the next 10 months, Wickersham underwent intensive therapy at the USC-Norris Cancer Institute and Hospital in Los Angeles.

After enduring countless chemotherapy treatments, radical reconstructive surgery, radiation therapy and a bone marrow transplant, Wickersham had apparently beaten the disease. He planned to return to school and possibly continue his playing career. The Southern Section office cleared him to play for the 1992-93 season.

But the cancer reappeared several months later, and chemotherapy was resumed.

Wickersham appeared as an honorary member of the North team in the 1992 Orange County North-South all-star game. He was an assistant coach for the La Habra varsity last season until he became too ill to continue.

During an emotional ceremony at La Habra last season, he became the first player in the 34-year history of the school to have his number--32--retired.

“He was my first big-time basketball prospect,” said Frank McCarroll, former La Habra basketball coach. “He’s the kind of well-rounded kid I’d like to see my son grow up to be like. This makes you question why things happen the way they do.”

Doctors at Norris continued to fight to save Wickersham. But neither their efforts, including the latest experimental drugs and massive chemotherapy, nor Wickersham’s youth, athleticism and determination could save him.

By June, the disease began to spread, and treatments were suspended.

With him when he died were members of his immediate family, who had taken him to the Santa Barbara resort, a favorite fishing spot, to the spend his final days.

Wickersham is survived by his father, Steve, his mother, Jody, his sister, Tina, all of La Habra, and his grandparents, Preston and Davita Wickersham of Long Beach, and Joe and Lorraine Delp of Poway.

The date and time of a memorial service are pending.