Since coach Corey Borromeo first stepped onto the Westview baseball field as a sophomore in 2010, he has been an integral part of the baseball community. Borromeo took a permanent coaching job at Westview in 2015, and according to coach Patrick Edwards—who coached Borromeo as a student-athlete and coached with him at Westview and for the Lookouts Baseball Club—he has had a positive impact on both programs since he joined.

“He is a tremendous person and excellent coach, role model and leader,” Edwards said. “He is looked up to by many of the young ballplayers.”

According to catcher Lucas Anderson (11), Borromeo is known by his players for always being able to relate to them in one-on-one conversations and in his constant effort to unite and bond them as a team. Anderson said his support has always been what’s helped the baseball team “click” in order to work together and win games.

So, when Borromeo needed support after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in May, his teams and their families didn’t think twice about rallying behind him so he wouldn’t have to go through the experience alone. Borromeo had surgery immediately after his diagnosis and began chemotherapy mid-June.

With Edwards’ help, the Lookouts Baseball Club and Westview baseball community have come together to donate and fundraise to help offset out-of-pocket medical expenses Borromeo is facing as a result of his cancer treatments.

Initially, the two programs joined together to sell bracelets, but recently have begun selling face masks with a Westview logo and the hashtag “CoreyBStrong.” With the help of coaches, families and players in both programs, the fundraiser has raised $2,500 to help support Borromeo’s expensive chemotherapy. An additional $2,000 has been donated directly by Westview and Lookouts families. 

“The families of both programs have really stepped up to help their coach,” Edwards said.

As his chemotherapy treatments have recently finished, Borromeo said he is currently in healthy recovery. 

“I’m feeling back to normal other than losing my hair and going bald,” Borromeo said “The process of going through chemotherapy is tough on your body physically and mentally. Luckily, I only had to do one cycle of chemotherapy, which is three weeks total—but the longest three weeks of my life!”

Though the money raised by the fundraiser has been tremendously helpful to Borromeo, each person involved in raising money and donating knows what the fundraiser is truly about: a team coming together to support a man who has helped them and their players, on and off the field, for many years.

Borromeo thanks his community for their immense support.

“The players, families, and coaches are all amazing and I couldn’t get through this without them,” Borromeo said. “We build a very strong relationship between me and the coaches, the players and their families because we want to create a positive environment to make their baseball experience the best we can possibly give them. It’s awesome to see how much of an impact I have on these players’ and coaches’ lives and to see them and their families support me through this battle of cancer and chemotherapy. It leaves me speechless.”

For Anderson, helping his coach through his struggle was only natural as Borromeo had helped him through so many “slumps” in his baseball career. Anderson said he hoped the community help could remind Borromeo of the same lessons Borromeo always taught his players: to stay strong and know that a team has your back.