In memory of his girlfriend, Westwood’s Robbie Stankard returns to A Shot for Life Challenge to fund brain cancer research

Stankard lost his girlfriend, Jane Harrell, after a five-month battle with a glioblastoma brain tumor.

Robbie Stankard has raised more than $2,200 for brain cancer research in memory of his late girlfriend, Jane Harrell (left), a classmate at the Groton School who died in August 2019.

By Trevor Hass

August 6, 2021

4 minutes to read

As Robbie Stankard arrived in Hanover last August, and entered the gym for the A Shot For Life Challenge, he knew his late girlfriend, Jane Harrell, was watching over him.

Harrell, a North Carolina resident who attended the Groton School, died in August 2019 after a five-month battle with a glioblastoma brain tumor. Stankard, a Westwood resident who met Harrell at Groton before transferring to Phillips Exeter, could hear her voice as he participated in a hoops competition among the state’s elite last August, almost exactly one year later.

Though his placement felt trivial, his involvement felt purposeful.

“There’s no words to really describe how I felt on that night, but I knew that she was there,” Stankard said.

The 6-foot-8-inch Stankard, a Middlesex Magic product who will play Division 1 basketball at Columbia University, has raised more than $2,200 for brain cancer research over the past two years in Harrell’s honor. He’s ready to take part in the event once again Saturday, back at the Starland Sportsplex & Fun Park, with Harrell still on the forefront of his mind.

A Shot For Life, a rapidly expanding non-profit founded by CEO Mike Slonina in 2010, funds health and cancer research initiatives. When Stankard first discovered the organization, he was immediately intrigued and eager to help as much as possible.

“It combined the two things that I’m most passionate about in the world,” Stankard said.

At first, before he learned more, Stankard offered to distribute T-shirts. Once he found out he could get involved as a shooter, he didn’t hesitate. Slonina, whose mother was diagnosed with a potentially malignant brain tumor in 2010, said he and Stankard understand each other on a deeper level.

“I’m sure he’ll be a part of the community forever,” Slonina said.

While having a personal tie to someone with cancer isn’t a prerequisite for ASFL, it certainly makes the bond between the player and the organization much more robust in many cases. The unfortunate reality for Stankard is that no one had to explain why the cause is so important. He already knew all too well.

Stankard described Harrell as a perfectly healthy, beautiful, kind, caring, smart girl who had everything in the world in front of her.

“Then, in a matter of five months,” Stankard said, “everything was stripped from her, and she was bedridden in a hospital.”

Harrell, once a talented lacrosse player, was diagnosed in March 2019 and by July wasn’t able to use her fingers to type. All she wanted was for life to return to normal, yet even on her worst days she always carved out time to see how Stankard was doing. Stankard was constantly amazed, but not surprised, by her relentless optimism and faith. She hated pity, so Stankard made sure to have as normal conversations as possible and tell her about his day and his basketball journey.

Stankard’s focus was on comforting her and being there however he could, and oftentimes that was by simply always showing up and caring. She reciprocated that mind-set and frequently sent him good luck texts or asked him how his game went. When Stankard’s AAU coach told him transferring from Groton was in his best interest if he wanted to play Division 1, Harrell fully supported him without hesitation.

“She was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and the next day she’s telling me on the phone, ‘You have to go chase your dreams. You have to go do what you want to do. If this is what you want, then why would you hold yourself back?’” Stankard said. “There’s no more powerful message than that.”

Her situation put everything he was pursuing into perspective, and it reminded him that life is too short and fragile to wait on anything.

Stankard and Harrell often fantasized over FaceTime about their future together and made plans for the years to come. Even planning an activity as simple as going to Rico’s Acaí to devour an acaí bowl together when she was out of the hospital was worthwhile because it symbolized hope. Though the odds of her surviving longer than five years were less than 1 percent, they maintained faith that she would be the exception.

“I didn’t know what I could do, but anything I could do, I did,” Stankard said. “That was my mind-set going in. It felt like it was two 17-year-old kids up against an insurmountable force at all times. There was no answer.”

Stankard is grateful to Slonina for providing an outlet for him to channel his grief, and Slonina made it clear the connection is mutual.

“I’m just very thankful that he’s used his talent and his time, and really made the sacrifice of his summers for the greater good of other people,” Slonina said. “I think that’s something that should really be appreciated.”

This year’s ASFL Challenge has already raised more than $18,000 to benefit brain cancer research at the Massachusetts General Hospital Dr. Curry Research Lab.

Those interested in supporting the cause can donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/2021-a-shot-for-life-challenge and put in Stankard’s name or the name of any other shooter whose message resonates with them.