Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The game of basketball is one of the most physically demanding sports one can play. With its fast-paced movement up and down the hardwood mixed with the need to understand the game at a high level, the sport is one that combines intelligence, strength, physicality and speed into a high-octane event for those on and off the court.
For Amani Jenkins, a 6-foot-3 forward in her first year with the Hokies, the physical toll of basketball means nothing to her – especially when her younger sister, Brooklyn, embodies toughness in ways that many could never fully understand.
When Brooklyn Jenkins was just four years old, she was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a form of incredibly rare cancer that is found in the eye. Per the American Cancer Society, the type of cancer accounts for about 3% of all childhood cancers, and approximately 300-350 cases of retinoblastoma are diagnosed in the United States each year. It took five months of treatment and a near complete vision loss in the affected eye to recover from the diagnosis.
Sadly, what seemed to be one of the darkest chapters in the Jenkins family would resurface years later. After complaining of ongoing knee pain, said Amani, Brooklyn was taken for an X-ray, followed by “countless scans and a biopsy” on her younger sister.
Chondroblastic osteosarcoma – an aggressive form of bone cancer found often in the knee and femur area – was discovered. A diagnosis followed on September 11, 2024.
“Brooklyn began chemo, spending days at a time in the hospital...the treatment was incredibly hard on her body,” said Jenkins. “She lost her hair, a significant amount of weight, her appetite, and often felt weak and sick. Yet, somehow, through all of it, she remained positive.”
