OLATHE, Kan. (WDAF) — A Kansas high school basketball game between rivals in Olathe, Kansas took a backseat Friday night.
Instead, students from both schools, Olathe West and Olathe Northwest, came out and showed their support for Olathe West’s athletic director, and vice principal, Pat Butler.
Doctors diagnosed the longtime Olathe educator with prostate cancer back in November, and he’s currently receiving treatment at the University of Kansas Cancer Center.
“Since then, its just kind of been a journey of doing what the doctors tell me to do,” Butler said. “Luckily I have this incredible community of support around me and I work with an amazing team that is kind of taking care of me as I go through this.”
Showing their support for Butler, coming together as one Olathe, both teams held up signs saying “Butler’s Brigade” and students wore custom shirts supporting him in his fight off the court.
“A lot of people have spent a lot of time at both schools,” Olathe West Principal Jay Novacek said. “And so I think setting the rivalry aside, coming together as one Olathe family, is something that’s not only good for each one of our schools to do something good, and serve other people, but it’s good four our whole community as well.”
Friday night’s support goes beyond the basketball game. All of the money raised from the shirt sales are going straight to the KU Cancer Center.
“It’s an amazing place and there’s a lot of people in our community; there’s people right here in our school that have been impacted by the KU Cancer Center,” Butler said. “And so that part of it is a great feeling to know that it’s about a lot more than just me. There’s a lot of folks that deal with cancer, and right here in our own building at Olathe West, and so to be able to raise some money for that is super meaningful.”
While it’s overwhelming, to see two schools he has spent years of his life at come together support him the gratitude does not go unnoticed.
“To see everyone come together to support me, and support my family, it’s kind of humbling,” Butler said. “It’s really a great feeling, it’s been tremendous.”
So far Olathe West has raised over $7,000 through the t-shirt sales. The school plans on restocking to raise even more money for the KU Cancer Center.