Indiana University Athletics
Cassidy Kahn Named Comeback Scholarship Award Winner
4/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
April 20, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana University junior diver Cassidy Kahn was named the 2010 Thomas A. Brady, MD Comeback Scholarship Award winner. The award is presented by Methodist Sports Medicine Foundation and is given to a collegiate female student-athlete.
"I never expected to receive an award," Kahn said. "It feels great and is very gratifying to be recognized for all the work that it took to make it up the long, hard, painful, and emotional road, allowing me to finally return to what I love... diving. Thank you Methodist Sports Medicine and IHSAA. I am extremely honored to get this award."
Kahn is being honored after returning to diving following a near-fatal case of the bacterial infection necrotizing faciitis in early 2008. She was operated on 11 times over the course of several months to eliminate and deal with complications arising from the infection.
What seemed to be a harmless rash turned out to be something much more dangerous. Necrotizing faciitis is a bacteria that destroys soft tissues and produces toxins that kill more than 20 percent of the people it infects, according to an estimate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Surgery to remove the infected flesh, as well as antibiotics, are the most common treatments. Kahn had a total of six surgeries in the first two weeks after her diagnosis. After seemingly recovering and being sent home, the disease reappeared just weeks later. Her last recurrence of the disease came in June 2008.
After extensive rehab on her legs, Kahn was finally able to return to diving in the summer of 2009. Three years into her collegiate career she completed her first season of competition in 2009-10, scoring a career-best 270.75 points on the 1-meter springboard to finish fifth in a dual meet with Louisville in January. She also tallied a career best of 241.75 on the 3-meter springboard at the Hoosierland Invitational last November.
"Cassidy has been an inspiration to me and the team," said Indiana head diving coach Dr. Jeff Huber. "She reminds us every day that training is a privilege, something you get to do, not have to do. She reminds us of the strength and resiliency of the human spirit and the capacity of determination and a positive attitude for overcoming any obstacle. She is well deserving of this award."
Kahn will be honored on April 29 in a dinner at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis. In addition to Kahn, The Methodist Sports Medicine Foundation will also present lifetime achievement awards to former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy, and IU football legend George Taliaferro. Dungy will also serve as the keynote speaker at the event.
Players Mentioned
