Fremd High School junior Finn Chapin back to playing sport he loves after rare cancer diagnosis

Junior Finn Chapin is getting ready for volleyball tryouts at William Fremd High School in Palatine, Illinois, but it took a lot to get to this point.

Less than six months after a rare cancer diagnosis, Finn is back to playing the sport he loves and is setting new goals.

Finn loves everything about volleyball and the work that goes into being great at the technical sport.

"Libero, you kinda got one job you got to pass the ball. So, I feel like I strive for perfection, but I don't always get it, so sometimes I'm a bit angry with myself. That gives me the drive to want to keep going," he said.

This past June, everything was put on pause. Finn was experiencing headaches and nausea, which led to an emergency room visit and a sudden diagnosis.

"Pineoblastoma that was the tumor that he had ... brain cancer. It was the discovery of the tumor, and I know that day that was June 27, and that led right into the next day, which was an emergency brain surgery to relieve the pressure that had built up from what the tumor was blocking off," said Wayne Chapin, father.

On Sept 24, Finn had another major nine-and-a-half-hour surgery to remove the tumor. He spent a week in the hospital before going to a rehabilitation hospital. The road to recovery wasn't easy.

"He couldnt talk. His eyes wouldnt rest in the center position. It would take him maybe 15 min to recharge and be able to say another word a then a few more days after that could make longer sentences, but it was really, really taxing on his body and just to walk one length of the hall," Wayne said.

"After surgery, I had all these troubles moving around and seeing and stuff, but I wouldn't let it stop me from doing what I wanted to do," Finn said.

What Finn wanted to do as soon as possible was play volleyball.

"He'd get up and play with dad while I was helping him to balance. That was a big momemt a bit emotional for me," said Finn's mother, Kay.

Soon, volleyball drills were being incorporated into Finn's rehabilitation. His favorite sport is one that's served him in many ways.

"Where they had to operate, that's where visual processing happen so his eyes were fine, but they were stiff like the rest of his body to look up, down, side to side, but that's where volleyball really came in, too, because just the nature of the sport," Wayne said.

"It's like I've trained my eyes so much, and also just being a good way physically to get back out there," Finn said.

About three months after his second surgery, Finn was playing once again. 

He began working with Pipeline Volleyball Club's Jason Hajdukovic while still undergoing chemotherapy.

"I mean, if you didn't know, you wouldn't know. That's a true testament to his character of just get up and do it," Hajdukovic said.

Getting back on the court is already amazing, but for Finn, his goals don't stop there. He has plenty as he prepares for his junior season at Fremd.

"I want to make the varsity team that would be like the top goal that I want to make, so that would be awesome to achieve, yeah," he said.

Anything this determined 16-year-old sets his mind to, he will achieve, and with a positive attitude.

"I don't think Finn ever complained. The whole process. You know, we go through the tough diet, ok, we go through the hard physical rehab, OK. That's Finn, and his motivation is yes, I can do this," Kay said.

"I would like to tell teens shouldn't be like keeping it a secret or not trying to talk about it, just have it be a part of your story," Finn said.

The next chapter for Chapin is sure to be pretty special.