How Josh Paschal beat cancer while playing for the University of Kentucky
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University of Kentucky defensive lineman Josh Paschal battled cancer while he was at the school. If you’re a new fan of his because he was drafted by your favorite NFL team, or just want to revisit his story of survival, this Q&A should help.
When was he diagnosed?
Ahead of UK’s 2018 fall camp, Paschal was bothered by a spot on his right foot; in an essay written in 2019 for the American Academy of Dermatology Association, he described the pain as a “stinging sensation” that felt like a bad blister. An athletic trainer at UK recommended he see a dermatologist, who diagnosed him with malignant melanoma. UK head coach Mark Stoops announced the diagnosis publicly on Aug. 3, 2018.
What is melanoma?
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops in the cells that control pigmentation (called melanocytes). It is a less common but more aggressive form of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society; it accounts for about 1 percent of skin cancer diagnoses but accounts for a large portion of deaths. Exposure to ultraviolet light and a heightened presence of moles are among the risk factors for melanoma. About 100,000 diagnoses will be made in 2022.
Melanoma is more commonly diagnosed in white people; a Black person’s chance of developing melanoma is 0.1 percent (1 in 1,000). Paschal’s form of melanoma, acral lentiginous melanoma (characterized by its site of origin), accounts for only 2-3 percent of melanoma diagnoses each year but occurs more frequently among Black people, according to a study published by the American Medical Association in 2009.
How did he treat it?
Paschal was treated at the UK Markey Cancer Center. He underwent two surgeries soon after his diagnosis to remove the cancerous growth, and later went under the knife a third time to repair and replace his skin tissue. Following that final surgery, he started a yearlong course of monthly immunotherapy treatments and medication to reduce the risk of cancer returning.
When did he return to football?
After a few months of immunotherapy, Paschal was able to play in three games at the end of the 2018 season. He made his first career start in a UK win over Middle Tennessee State, in which he made a punt-forcing tackle that led to a rowdy celebration on the field and a loud ovation from the crowd. He did not redshirt as a true freshman in 2017, so 2018 served as a redshirt season.
Is he fully recovered?
Paschal’s course of immunotherapy ended on Aug. 7, 2019, and has since stayed in remission.
What happened from there?
Paschal, 22, started every game of the 2019 season but admitted at year’s end that he didn’t feel 100 percent.
“I wouldn’t say I was (still) recovering, but I was still getting used to things,” Paschal said ahead of UK’s appearance in that year’s Belk Bowl. “It’s hard being away from the game for so long and then coming back.”
That season was the first of three straight in which Paschal was named a season-long captain; he’s the only UK football player to hold that distinction. He played in every game over the remainder of his career until he was sidelined for the 2022 Citrus Bowl due to a groin injury, suffered against Louisville in the Wildcats’ regular-season finale.
Paschal following the 2021 season was named the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, an award given annually to a player who exemplifies leadership on and off the field.
