NATCHITOCHES – Typically, Cam George is seen before he is heard.
 
One morning during Northwestern State's fall camp, however, George's message to his teammates spoke loudly.
 
George, a senior defensive end and team captain, stood on the Turpin Stadium turf and told his teammates his mother, Miranda Thomas, was in a battle with pancreatic cancer. For the often-stoic George, revealing the fact to his teammates and coaching staff was liberating.
 
"It was like a weight off my shoulders," George said. "For a long time, I feel like I was keeping it in. I also feel like it was a testimony to others who are going through things and don't usually speak up – showing them it's OK to seek help or support from others and you can battle through anything and still succeed on and off the field no matter what's going on in your life."
 
The Demons (1-6, 0-3 Southland Conference) return home Saturday at 4 p.m. to face Lamar in Northwestern's annual #ForkCancer game – one that will have even more meaning for George.
 
It will be his first such game since learning of his mother's cancer battle, which began in March.
 
For George, a 6-foot-2, 245-pounder, Saturday's game takes on a deeper significance.
 
"I feel like I'm playing for her," George said. "Her seeing me out there gives her hope and gives her some joy in a tough time. This game will make her very happy. It definitely drives me. Anytime I'm out there and facing adversity or I feel like the team needs me to step it up, I remember she's going through a fight that is much worse. I always lean into that and give it my all."
 
Happiness often is tied to George and comes, in his estimation, from his mother.
 
"Honestly, we're like twins," George said. "We are very patient, loveable people who are always going to look out for others. I feel like I definitely get that from her."
 
Second-year head coach Blaine McCorkle can back up George's assertion of his similarities to his mother.
 
Thomas, who lives in Houston, was able to take in the Demons' Oct. 11 game at HCU where she crossed paths with McCorkle.
 
"They have the same demeanor, put off the same presence," McCorkle said. "You can tell he's definitely his mother's child for sure."
 
George had a tackle for loss and a pass breakup in the Demons' visit to HCU while playing in front of his mom. With George being in season and his mother an approximate four-hour drive away, George has learned to rely even deeper on family.
 
"It's been challenging, but the great thing is I have a family and a great support system that can help me as well as help her, so we're never alone," George said. "That's definitely a blessing."
 
Whether it is in the locker room or in the coaches' offices on the third floor of the Donald G. Kelly Athletic Complex's fieldhouse, George knows he has a place to find that same feeling at Northwestern.
 
McCorkle's decades of college football coaching experience have helped him craft a playbook for how to strike a balance for situations George has found himself in during his senior season.
 
"Cam came to see me in the spring and told me where she was and what she was going through," McCorkle said. "When you go through that as a coach, you want to be there to support them. You don't want to wear them out, you don't want to hound them, but you let them know you love them, you pray for them and every so often, you ask, 'Hey, how's mom doing?' That's one of the most important things you can do is let him know, we're busy. We're game-planning, and we have his program we're trying to run, but we haven't forgotten. Hopefully, he appreciates that you him a little distance, but you love him through it at the same time."
 
Equally important for George and for his mother is their faith.
 
With Thomas recently completing her final radiation and chemotherapy treatments, that shared belief has been reinforced, especially in their daily communication.
 
"It all comes back to having faith and belief that things will be OK," George said. "We usually talk every day. If we can't reach each other on the phone, we'll send a text saying, 'I love you.' She'll send me a prayer each and every day. If it's a few minutes reaching out to each other, we try our best to stay in touch and keep that love intact.
 
"She's a very strong woman, so I know she can handle anything and she'll get through it. As a family, we've reassured her, we're here for her and will fight for her and do whatever it takes to help her on this journey."