By Connor Sykes

Strength in sports is often quantified through statistics: the distance of a throw, the speed of a race, the weight lifted. Yet, hidden beyond these metrics lies a deeper strength - the one that emanates from within, propelling individuals to overcome even the most daunting challenges. This intrinsic resilience defies measurement; it's the unwavering resolve that vaults athletes forward when the odds seem insurmountable. It's this intangible strength that truly defines a competitor's prowess, proving to be one of the most invaluable assets on their journey to success.
 
In the summer of last year, women's hockey defenceman Maggie Mitani was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, just days after returning to her home in Winnipeg, Manitoba following the 2022-23 season. Despite this, she managed to make a full recovery, and returned to play in the OUA this season without missing a game. This is her story.
 
The Mitani family's relationship with the rink runs deep. With a father who once played professionally overseas and an older brother deeply immersed in the sport, Maggie's journey into hockey was inevitable. It was during her time with the Winnipeg Avros where Lancer head coach, Deanna Iwanicka, recognized Maggie's talent and reached out, sparking her interest in joining the blue and gold. By the start of her senior year of high school, Maggie had made the commitment to Windsor, where she has since flourished. 
 
One day near the end of last season, as the team gathered in their dressing room at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex for a tactics meeting, a strange discovery would be made. "I was scratching my neck and thought  'oh that's weird, there's a little bulb on my neck'". At the completion of tactics, she brought it up with some of her teammates and they began to take interest in it. After some inspection and comparison, along with a healthy dose of symptom research with Dr. Google, the second-year student-athlete was advised by one of her teammates to seek a medical opinion on the mass. "I'm like 'oh yeah, whatever' but then she was on me saying 'you should really go to the doctor.'" Mitani recounts the event, one which led to her eventually going to an urgent care clinic near the University.
 
It was only a short time after completing some tests with doctors in Windsor and heading home for the summer break when Maggie received the call. "Can you come in? We have a couple of results for you," one of the nurses from Windsor asked her, to which Mitani replied with the information that she was back home in Winnipeg for the time being. "I'll get the doctor to call you."
 
Thyroid cancer was the diagnosis, and it's a message that few find easy to take at first, including Mitani. "At first, you're shocked. Nobody ever writes a script for it, there's nothing you can do in the moment really." On top of the shock, the natural instinct to try and find some sort of causation to point towards as the reasoning for having something like this happen to her weighed heavy on Maggie and her support system. Yet, as is the case with many cancer patients, sometimes you can't draw any lines of reasoning. "The doctor said I was just unlucky," she states factually. "Nice. Unlucky is the reason for this."
 
Shortly after her diagnosis, Maggie was able to undergo a successful thyroidectomy in her hometown, a surgical procedure where part or all of the gland is removed. Despite the nodule being located solely on the right side of her thyroid, the decision was made to remove the entire gland to temper any risks of the cancer spreading. From there, plenty of rest and recovery between the hospital bed and her own home led to her getting back on the ice in under six weeks - and in the gym earlier than that.
 
Mitani credits her support system – made up of family, friends and teammates alike - for helping her through the recovery process with their words of encouragement and support, to the ever-appreciated bowls of french onion soup. There was also another aspect that was a driving force in her pursuit to get better - hockey. "Hockey as a whole I think is what keeps everybody fighting. That's why we come here every day, that's why we work as hard as we do. Knowing that you're going to come back and be healthy and stronger than you were when you went into this is what really keeps you going throughout the whole thing."
 
With the experience now in the rearview mirror, Maggie reflects on how the entire ordeal affected her outlook on life. "It's loving everything you're doing. I don't do things that I don't want to do, because I know I don't need to. Nobody can really tell me what I need to do, I know my limits, I know I'm stronger than I was however long ago. Just the little things, staying happy I guess."
 
After her successful recovery, Mitani rejoined the Lancers for the 2023-24 season and went on to play in 29 OUA games this year for the blue & gold, leading all defenders with four goals.