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Tumor doesn't keep Lawson from playing baseball

By: SHAUN O'NEILL - Staff Writer | Saturday, April 7, 2007 11:22 PM PDT ∞

Matt Lawson of the UC-San Diego Tritons during the Tritons' game against Cal State San Marcos at Triton Field in La Jolla.
STAN LIU For The North County Times
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LA JOLLA ---- Like many other college graduates this spring, Matt Lawson has some life decisions ahead of him.

Unlike his UC San Diego classmates, Lawson's decisions could be about how to live, not just where.

Lawson, the Tritons' starting center fielder, has played his senior season with the knowledge he has a brain tumor. What type of tumor, he does not know. Cancerous or not, he's in the dark. And that is by design.

"There's no way to tell until they go in and do a brain biopsy," Lawson said.

Problem is, his tumor is adjacent to the occipital lobe. That's the visual processing center of the brain. Doctors have told Lawson there's a 10 percent risk of losing vision in one eye or going weak on the right side of his body if he has the biopsy. If he needs surgery, vision loss is a near certainty, he said.

"I can survive in the world with one eye, but I can't play baseball like that," Lawson said. "I'm just praying to God that if baseball ends, it ends on my terms and not because of my health."

Like many tumor patients, Lawson was stricken first by a grand mal seizure. That happened March 26 last year, and he considers himself lucky his girlfriend was there to witness it and call for help. But exams did not find the cause until four months ago, when the tumor finally showed itself on a high-contrast MRI.

Lawson, a 22-year-old from Yorba Linda, was told that the tumor presented no immediate risk, so he decided to delay the biopsy and enjoy his senior year to the fullest. Granted a medical redshirt last year, he made the most of his extended eligibility. Entering Thursday, he led the Tritons with a .402 batting average, 39 runs and 15 doubles.

Rarely thinking of the uncertainty of his medical condition, he also completed his degree in management science. UCSD is on the quarter system, so he is done with his academics. The rest of the baseball season leaves him with plenty of time to enjoy life near the beach and on the ballfield.

Then comes time to make the more serious decisions.

"If something happens tomorrow," he said. "hey, I got to play five years of college baseball. How many people get to do that, even healthy people?"

-- Contact staff writer Shaun O'Neill at (760) 740-3546 or soneill@nctimes.com.