10-year-old UK fan with mitochondrial disease writes Calipari to make sure his mother enjoys the Women's Clinic

At the Women’s Clinic on Sunday, I was given a stack of letters addressed to John Calipari from 10-year-old Toby Foster, who is fighting mitochondrial disease, a progressive, incurable metabolic disorder which causes a deficit in life sustaining energy. Toby and his mother, Amy, are huge UK fans, and Toby wrote Coach Cal to tell him to make sure his mom had a good time at the Women’s Clinic. Here’s the letter, which will tug at your heartstrings:

Dear Mr. Coach Calipari,

My name is Toby, and I LOVE UK Basketball. I get that from my mom! I am so excited for my mom to get to be there today. My mom doesn’t ever do anything for herself. I have mitochondrial disease, so she is always at the hospital with me, taking care of me, and putting me first. But, if you ask her, she will act like it’s no big deal.

We watch all the games together. We have to watch online from the hospital though. Can you believe not all of the UK games are on TV in Cincinnati? Lots of nurses have become UK fans because of me! Go Big Blue!

I really wanted to come to your camp last summer. Going to summer camp to meet you and the players was a no-go because of my mito. But, if I could have, I would have been there!

I’m your biggest fan. UK can ball, but what makes me proud to be a UK fan is how the team acts. I see the things you do to help others that make God proud. That makes me look up to you, and the team. Someday, I would love to meet you and the guys. For now, please make sure my mom has a great day, because she doesn’t get out much!

Your Most Gigantic, Enormous, Huge Fan,

Toby

I contacted Toby’s mother Amy, and she told me a little about mitochondrial disease. She said Toby struggles with multiple symptoms because his body does not have the energy for appropriate organ function. There is no cure, and it will continue to worsen over time, and it is often fatal for children. Amy said she won’t give up until she finds a cure. “Toby is the most amazing kid. With all his struggles, he remains brave, and filled with hope and faith,” Amy wrote. “Toby is incredibly generous as well. Much of the little energy he has is spent doing for others.” Toby is so devoted to helping others that he won the local Kohls Cares for Kids award for his philanthropic work.

Part of what keeps Toby going is his love for the Cats. Toby made Cal and the players another card with pictures of him representing the Cats at a game in Rupp in 2012 and in the hospital:

As for Amy, she said she had an amazing time at the Clinic on Sunday. “I’m a huge UK fan, so being in the presence of UK greatness was epic! I loved hearing about Cal’s players’ first approach, and the new platoon system, right from him.” And as Toby predicted, some time with her girlfriends and UK basketball was just what she needed. “It was fun to be amongst so many other women fans. And the time with my girlfriends was therapeutic! Toby’s right, I don’t get out much.” Like most of the women at the Clinic, Amy got a basketball signed by all the coaches and players, and she said bringing it home to Toby was a highlight. “It was wonderful to get to take Toby home a basketball signed by the team and coaches,” Amy said. “He was freaking out when I gave it to him.”