Horry County lacrosse teams raise money for student forced to amputate hand from rare cancer

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - A typically gritty rivalry between Socastee and St. James high schools took a charitable approach Monday.

The two schools came together to raise funds for a middle school student battling a rare form of cancer.

Declan Maloney played on St. James’ JV lacrosse team in 2018 as a seventh grader. Now, Maloney watches from the sideline after doctors were forced to amputate his hand.

I guess at first I was angry," Maloney said. “Enraged actually. Like most people would be sad but I was just angry.”

Maloney suffers from epitheloid sarcoma, a rare cancer that effects the limbs. It currently has no known cure.

“He doesn’t see defeat,” his mother Allison said. “He doesn’t say he can’t, he says he will.”

“I’m like what’s the point of being negative?" Maloney said with a smile. "I mean you could just sit there and do nothing or you could decide to be happy, and I decided to be happy.”

The organization Hunger Crusaders provided free meals to fans of the Battle for 707 in exchange for donations towards Maloney’s medical fund. The organization’s founder said he was touched by Maloney’s perseverance.

“Just seeing him and knowing what he wants to do in life,” said Michael Tyler, founder of Hunger Crusaders.

“He may not have a hand right now, but he still wants to be in the UofSC marching band. I mean how could you not look at that as inspiration?” Tyler said.

Monday’s fundraiser raised a total of $2,600, according to Tyler. The proceeds from the Battle for 707 event paired with a group of other profit-sharing events hosted by the organization throughout the month of April will be donated to the Maloney family.

For more information on Maloney or to donate to his medical fund, click here.

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