NATCHITOCHES – One cancer diagnosis is enough to shake a family to its core.
 
Three times in the span of less than five years is an unlikely occurrence, but it became reality for Sean Kiracofe and his parents between July 2007 and December 2011.
 
Kiracofe's father, John, was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx in July 2007. Two years later, Sean learned he had testicular cancer. In late 2011, Sean's mother, Sharon, found out she had breast cancer.
 
As Sean prepares to coach his Northwestern State (11-15, 6-5 Southland Conference) volleyball team in its annual "Dig Pink" match Thursday at 7 p.m. against Abilene Christian (7-18, 6-4), the impetus behind the match means a little more to him and to his parents.
 
"Having been in the volleyball community with the 'Dig Pink' games, you hear a lot of stories about both tragedy and success of women getting through it," Kiracofe said. "To have your mom go through it is tough. That hit home more than my cancer and my dad's."
 
Sean Kiracofe was in his early 30s when doctors discovered a tumor on one of John Kiracofe's vocal cords.
 
John Kiracofe underwent six-and-a-half weeks of radiation aimed directly at his throat. The treatment took his voice for a time.
 
"If you would have contacted me nine years ago, I wouldn't be having this conversation," John said. "I didn't have a voice. It was cancer of the larynx. I had six and a half weeks of daily radiation on my throat."
 
A little more than two years after John Kiracofe learned of his diagnosis and two years before his mother's, Sean Kiracofe was delivered similar news in November 2009 while coaching at Montana State.
 
While John and Sharon Kiracofe were empty nesters as the times of their diagnoses, Sean Kiracofe had recently become a first-time father when doctors informed him of his cancer.
 
"Mine was a weird deal," Sean Kiracofe said. "Right before I was diagnosed, Walker was about 1 and got H1N1 (swine flu). There had been a younger infant in the Bozeman area who had contracted that flu and passed away. It was a tragedy, and then to find out your first born has that, that was a much bigger deal and took my mind off when I got diagnosed with cancer. It was more the importance of making sure he was OK more than myself."
 
Shortly after Sean Kiracofe was diagnosed with testicular cancer, he learned his 11-year-old dog was diagnosed with the same ailment and had to be put down.
 
Through it all, Sean Kiracofe relied on a family trait that began with both of his parents' Midwestern roots. John and Sharon Kiracofe, both Indiana natives, instilled a Midwestern ethos in Sean Kiracofe and his sister.
 
"We went about our daily business," Sean Kiracofe said. "It was a normal thing My dad, like a lot of dads, didn't make a big deal out of issues. His thought process was, 'I'm going through it. It's no big deal.' Then you come home to visit and he says, 'Oh yeah, I'm on my way to radiation.' It catches you, and you're like, 'What?'"
 
One look at Sean Kiracofe on the sidelines of a match gives a glimpse into that Hoosier heritage. His stoic visage rarely changes, and deciphering whether the Lady Demons lead or trail in a match by a Kiracofe look is nearly impossible to tell.
 
The hard-hat and lunch-pail mentality paid dividends – as did early detection – for all three Kiracofes.
 
"We all were positive there would be a good outcome with our cancers, but John led the way," Sharon Kiracofe said. "His positive attitude made me feel positive, and I knew all would be well. John proved to a lot of people that cancer was not a death sentence. Our grandchildren at the time had never known anyone who survived cancer, so he taught them and others that cancer is treatable and early detection is the solution."
 
Sharon Kiracofe shared another trait with her husband – she did not immediately tell her children about her diagnosis until the Kiracofes and her doctors had outlined a treatment plan.
 
Shortly after regaining his voice, John Kiracofe became a changed man, one whose newfound faith was put to the test in rapid succession in a 25-moth period between 2009 and 2011. 
 
"Before my diagnosis, I was not a very religious person," John Kiracofe said. "There were a lot of people praying for me and for my recovery, and I am very thankful for them. Begin the Type-A personality I am, I thought, 'I'm going to beat this myself.' I realize now it wasn't me. There were a lot of prayers lifted up on my behalf.
 
"I realize now it was a higher power that gave me my voice back. I asked Him, 'How do you want me to use this voice?' I had all kinds of ideas. Then low and behold, January 2012, God took me to the Ukraine to teach conversational English. That changed my life."
 
Sharon Kiracofe has a similar story, saying her faith grew with both her husband's and her son's diagnosis. She also learned from the way they attacked their treatments.
 
"They were both strong and had positive attitudes," she said. "You could never see that they were ever worried, and I tried to be the same way. I have to admit it was harder facing my son having cancer. You never want your child to go through anything like that, but he also showed a lot of people the right way to go through the cancer process. Each one of us touched someone, and I know our experience has helped others."
 
That experience will be on display Thursday night in Prather Coliseum when Sean Kiracofe's NSU team will play Abilene Christian before auctioning off its game-worn jerseys to benefit cancer research.
 
Although the Kiracofes won't be in attendance, their pride will radiate from the Austin area all the way to Natchitoches.
 
"It makes me very proud that my son is involved with raising funds and awareness for cancer," Sharon Kiracofe said. "Not only is 'Dig Pink' a fun event that brings the team together, it really does bring awareness that grows, which can save many lives. I love that these girls are learning so much about cancer awareness and will pass it along to others.
 
"Until I experienced breast cancer, I had no idea there were so many kinds and so many types of treatments. With funds for research, this can continue until all cancers are cured."