Tiana Mangakahia motivated to beat cancer and return to court

This year Brisbane basketball star Tiana Mangakahia faced one of the toughest decisions of her career, but months later she is in the battle of her life.

Tiana Mangakahia with family as she fights breast cancer.

EARLIER this year, Tiana Mangakahia faced one of the toughest decisions of her life.

That was whether to declare for the WNBA Draft or to play another season at Syracuse University, where she enjoyed a meteoric rise and established herself as one of the best players in women’s college basketball in the US.

The 24-year-old was a sure thing to be selected in the draft but instead chose to return to play her final season with Syracuse and spent the rest of her off-season working hours on end every day to try and take her game to the next level.

But in June, Mangakahia’s life changed forever.

Tiana Mangakahia with her family.

After finding a lump on her left breast, the Redlands product visited the school’s health centre to get it checked out and on June 18, a day Mangakahia said she would “never forget” she was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer.

The Southern Districts Spartans junior, who started her basketball journey at Redlands PCYC (Capalaba), has since undergone two stages of chemotherapy and vows to return to the court and realise her dream of playing in the WNBA and for Australia at the Olympics.

“My reaction when I first found out was that I was very scared and in shock,” Mangakahia said.

“However my mentality from the beginning has been very positive and just wanted to start everything because the sooner the faster I recover. My mindset is to just stay positive and surround myself around laughter and happiness.

Tiana Mangakahia starting her cancer treatment.

“The timing of all of this was extremely hard. I had decided to stay at Syracuse over the summer to workout and I was working out everyday and felt prepared for my senior year. It was difficult for me to comprehend that I wouldn’t be able to play this season but I know there is a reason for all of this.

“I’m very motivated to be back on the court and I know that it will be hard but I’m very excited to get back out there with the team.”

Her mum, Cynthia, remembered when she found out about the diagnosis and said she couldn’t believe it.

Tiana Mangakahia with her parents and her Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman.

“I remember the words ‘breast cancer’ and feeling shock and feeling shattered. A wave of sadness come across me starting at my feet and then tears started coming out of my eyes and I couldn’t stop them. Tiana was crying too,” she said.

“It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions as we learnt more about treatment and the side effects.

We have been staying positive and making sure that we keep our sense of humour. So even though things are very serious, we are staying positive.”

Since the diagnosis, Mangakahia, who attended Brisbane State High School, has received support from all around the world and in particular from Syracuse University as well as the basketball community in Brisbane and Australia.

Tiana Mangakahia during last season with Syracuse.

But the hardest thing has been being on the other side of the world without her family there all the time, which is why a GoFundMe page has been created to help Mangakahia’s parents stay in the US to support their daughter in her battle against cancer.

“The support has been amazing not only from the Syracuse coaches and team but also from the community here and from my home club at Spartans. I can’t explain how much it meant to me when they wore #tough4t shirts. It was amazing and I felt the love from across the world,” she said.

“But the hardest things this far have been losing my hair and not being able to have my family here with me 24 hours a day. Even though I have my Syracuse family, it just isn’t the same as blood.”

To donate to the Mangakahia GoFundMe page, visit gofundme.com/f/tough-4-t.