Jaquelyn Bradshaw: Pickleball helped her beat cancer
At 28, Jaquelyn Bradshaw turned pickleball from a hobby to a life motivation: overcoming a rare leukemia, remission after 1 year and playing professionally from 2022.
The day after a round of chemotherapy, Jaquelyn Bradshaw laced up her shoes and entered a pickleball tournament. That moment against the sun summed up her journey: turning what was once a hobby into a lifeline that helped her overcome a rare form of leukemia, before being declared in remission and turning pro in 2022.
The turning point of a fighting journey
At age 22, just eight months after taking up pickleball, Bradshaw was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. “There was a point where I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this is it. I’m never going to play again, and I’m never going to survive this,’” she recalls. Instead of giving up, she clung to the rhythm, the laughter, and the shots—the things that kept her “living, breathing, eating, sleeping—pickleball.”
During her chemotherapy days, Bradshaw still played on the field when she could or sat in front of the screen watching instructional videos. That commitment kept her body moving and her mind from going into a void. A year later, Bradshaw was declared in remission – a milestone that opened a new chapter in her life.
Pickleball as movement and mental therapy
“Pickleball has given me not only a healthier lifestyle, but also a reason to live. In addition to being a cancer patient, I am also a pickleball player,” Bradshaw said. According to the American Association for Cancer Research, physical activity can help improve survival rates, reduce the risk of recurrence, and boost morale – benefits Bradshaw feels every day he returns to the court.
“Pickleball helps you forget about treatment, be with friends, relive the fight and enjoy every second on the court,” testifies close friend Jim Gorndt, a lymphoma survivor. He recounts Bradshaw once playing in a tournament just one day after chemotherapy, a detail that shows her extraordinary will.
The numbers speak for themselves.
- Age 22: Bradshaw is diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, eight months after picking up pickleball.
- After 1 year: declared in remission.
- 2022: officially compete in professional pickleball.
- Age 28: continue to stick with sports as a driving force in life.
From fear to courage
Pickleball not only requires quick reflexes but also forces players to face surprises – just like Bradshaw faced her illness. “This game helps train the ability to react quickly to surprises,” she shared. From a shy girl, afraid to communicate, Bradshaw gradually became confident, open and inspired: “Before, I didn’t dare talk to anyone, didn’t dare go far. Now I compete all over the country, make friends everywhere and live every moment, all thanks to pickleball.”
Message behind the line
For Bradshaw, each play is a reminder that the body is still strong, and the mind can actively choose how to react. “Be your own inspiration. No one’s journey is the same, so don’t sit there feeling sad – keep moving, it’s the only way to get through it,” she advises.
The popularity of a sport
Pickleball’s appeal extends beyond personal stories. A related article shows that at NEU, the sport has had a huge impact, with physical education classes filling up within hours of opening for registration.
From a cancer patient who faced death, Jaquelyn Bradshaw rewrote her identity on the court: not just a survivor, but an athlete – one who let the pickleball guide her, each shot a step forward from fear.
