Thunder Ridge student-athlete diagnosed with cancer during his senior year

IDAHO FALLS — A Thunder Ridge High School student-athlete was recently diagnosed with cancer the same weekend as his 18th birthday.

Tanner Scoresby is a senior who played varsity basketball, was on the football team, and competed in track and field events. His parents, Devin and Missy Scoresby, told EastIdahoNews.com that for a couple of weeks, whenever Tanner ran at basketball practice, played a game, or laid down, it was hard for him to breathe.

“His dad and I kept trying to get him to go to the doctor, but he was afraid they would tell him he was sick and he wouldn’t be able to play basketball with his team,” Missy said. “(On January 31) there was no school. Tanner had basketball practice at 7:30 a.m. One of his coaches, Curtis Johnson, finally convinced him to go to the doctor and get a chest X-ray.”

He went to an urgent care for a chest X-ray. When the doctors checked Tanner’s lungs, they couldn’t hear the air in his right lung. He ended up at the emergency room for a CT scan.

“That is where they found a mass pressing against his lung and saw that his lungs were full of fluid,” the Scoresby’s explained. “They immediately sent Tanner to Primary Children’s Hospital for care … (and) started to drain the fluid off his lungs. Four liters of fluid were drained.”

Tanner was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. Due to how big the mass on his trachea is (6x4x5 inches), doctors do not feel it’s safe to sedate him. Right now, he has a temporary PICC line in his thigh so he can receive chemotherapy.

His parents said when the mass shrinks, and it’s safe to sedate him, a chemo port will be put in his chest. Tanner will undergo nine months of intensive chemotherapy. The maintenance phase will last a year.

“Tanner has handled things like a champ,” his family said. “He has tried to stay positive and is taking things one day at a time.”

To follow Tanner’s cancer journey on Facebook, click here. A GoFundMe has been started to help the Scoresbys with medical costs and travel expenses to and from Salt Lake City. To donate, click here.

“We have been carried and supported on so many ways by our wonderful community,” his parents stated. “They have rallied around Tanner and our family in so many ways. The people of our community have been literal angels. We are so thankful!”