Washington women’s soccer star Mia Hamant died at the age of 21 following a battle with Stage 4 kidney cancer, the school announced Thursday.
“Mia was the heart of our program — someone who lifted up everyone around her with her joy, courage, and kindness,” Washington coach Nicole Van Dyke said in a school release. “Even in the most difficult moments, she showed an unshakable spirit that inspired her teammates and coaches every single day. Mia made us all better people, and her impact will be felt in this program and in all of our lives forever.”
Hamant, a goalie, learned in April that she had been diagnosed with Stage 4 SMARCB1-deficient kidney cancer, a rare and aggressive form.
The Corte Madera, Calif. native experienced lingering respiratory issues at that time that led her to visit an emergency room and undergo testing, and she was informed that she could have autoimmune disease, an infection or cancer, she told Washington’s student paper, The Daily, this May.
She posted a photo of her in a hospital room supported by those closer to her in May while explaining the challenging road that lied ahead.
“Everything happens for a reason🧡. If you told me a month ago i would be diagnosed with and fighting cancer i would have laughed in your face, but here we are,” Hamant wrote on May 5.
“April 11 i was diagnosed with non sickle cell SMARCB1-deficient renal medullary carcinoma (RMC). this is an extremely rare kidney cancer that was caused by nothing more than bad luck. Since then, my friends and family have pushed me to get through all the challenges that come with this diagnosis. while my normal life has been put on pause, i have been able to get better and start to feel like myself again.