Byron Center’s Tilma battles back to continue athletic career after brain tumor
BYRON CENTER, Mich. (BVM) — Sydney Tilma is your typical two-sport high school athlete. She excels on the golf course in the fall, while shining on the softball field in the spring. But last summer, her athletic career and more were almost in jeopardy after doctors discovered a brain tumor with a cyst in Tilma’s head. But after having it removed with little to no complications, Tilma has begun writing her own comeback story.
Tilma grew up playing several sports in her youth, but softball was always at the top. The 17-year-old grew a passion for the sport right away, and that has not stopped to this day.
“I get so excited when I get to play and when I get to step out on the field,” Tilma said. “I just get this feeling that I’m here and I’m really ready to play.”
Quickly one of the top players in her little league, Tilma made her local all-star team, and then began her travel softball career. She has since played for the Michigan Sabercats, Top Prospects, and Diamonds among others.
Primarily pitching and playing first base, Tilma entered Byron Center High School ready to take her career to the next level. Although she played on junior varsity as a freshman, she was called up to varsity to pitch that same year. This gave her the experience of a new environment while also helping her to realize she could play at that level.
By sophomore year, the Tilma made the Bulldogs’ varsity squad, playing behind several upperclassmen. But it was that second season when things would begin to change for her, and it was the last time she would be competing on the diamond for nearly a year.
In Jan. 2019, Tilma began getting headaches each morning, which would wake her up. But they would typically go away later in the day, so the two-sport athlete never thought much of it. However, she did start to get blurry vision at times as well. And as months passed, headaches got worse and worse, to the point that Tilma would get sick to her stomach.
Losing her ability to focus in both school and athletics, Tilma and her parents decided to visit her doctor later that June. There, an MRI was suggested. Tilma did not think much of it and was actually hoping it was a quick process so she could go to hangout with friends afterwards.
But halfway through the MRI, Tilma was given an IV that she was not allowed to take out, raising her concern. After being brought back to a room with her doctor and parents in, Tilma immediately knew something was seriously wrong, seeing that her parents had been crying.
Doctors would reveal she had a brain tumor with a cyst, which was putting an immense amount of pressure on her head. As anyone would be, Tilma was surprised and devastated.
“I walked in the room and was wondering what’s going on and what’s happening,” Tilma said. “From there I had my first cry and I just went in to shock. I couldn’t feel anything and was just going through the motions at that time. The next morning is when everything kind of hit.”
Tilma would have to wait five days until surgery to remove the tumor, which she described as “the toughest days of her life.” But with vast support from family and friends, Tilma remained in good spirits with high hopes.
The surgery would end up being 10 hours long, and Tilma was predictably left feeling very weak afterwards. But each day after, she would continue to make little steps in her recovery. A week later, Tilma was up and moving in physical therapy. The athlete continued to heal and was ready to move on both mentally and physically.
In total, Tilma would remain in the hospital for 18 days. But she slowly began with athletic activity again, running and doing light lifting through the remainder of July. By mid-August, Tilma’s comeback was complete as she competed in Byron Center’s first girls golf practice of the season.
Tilma has also grown a love for the sport of golf over the years. Growing up, she played casually with her dad. But after he encouraged her to try out for her high school team, her career on the links has taken off even further.
Playing on junior varsity as a freshman, Tilma found a greater passion for golf. Like softball, she would move up to a full-time varsity player as a sophomore. But it was her junior year — coming off her surgery — that Tilma played some of the best golf of her life. The result was being named an all-conference player.
“It was amazing,” Tilma said about her junior golf season. “I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to golf yet but I made such a good recovery that I was able to and I did good. I wasn’t worried about my score or where I hit the ball; I just wanted to be out there. I was so happy that I was able to play and hearing that I made all-conference was pretty good.”
Tilma’s comeback story is one for the ages. Although her spring softball season as a junior was canceled, she has continued it on the golf course as a senior. While this year’s golf season has been unlike any other — with masks required during competition and nearly all matches packed into the month of September — Tilma continues to maintain a mid-40s nine-hole scoring average.
Although the spring softball season is still a ways off, Tilma is also excited to have the opportunity to get back on the diamond in her senior year.
“I want to make a difference,” Tilma said about her final high school softball season. “It’ll be my first year playing softball for my school since having surgery. I want to show everyone that I’m here and ready to play and show that I come prepared and always put in 100% effort.”
The 17-year-old feels fortunate to be able to compete again, but also to be living a healthy life. Since her surgery over a year ago, Tilma has remained completely healthy through every check-up. Perhaps her only setback was falling shortly after her surgery, fracturing her skull and suffering a concussion. But being the strong individual she is, Tilma recovered quickly yet again.
Overall, despite going through a difficult situation, Tilma is grateful that her tumor was found early on and was able to be removed without much difficulty or a long recovery.
“I am incredibly thankful that I’m here today and that I have a story to tell that can impact people,” Tilma said. “My community all came together and they were just there for me. I got so many messages and so much love and comfort and I realized that this is what it means to come together and just be there for someone. It was an eye-opener for me.”
Now being able to solely focus on her future, Tilma recently committed to Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Mich. She will continue her athletic careers in both softball and golf at the school, one of the main reasons she chose to become a Golden Eagle.
Tilma will seek a teaching degree and plans on becoming an elementary school teacher after college. She hopes to maintain her academic success while at Cornerstone, but also wants to create a positive impact on her new teams by being a good teammate — and as she has throughout her life — putting in 100% effort.
It takes a special person to go through what Tilma has with such a gracious and positive attitude. But that’s just the kind of person she is. Fully healthy with a bright future ahead, Tilma knows she has a special comeback story, but more importantly, hopes it can serve as inspiration to others.
“You have to be strong going through this kind of stuff,” Tilma concluded. “I just had the motivation to get out of that hospital bed and get back to doing what I love. I had family and friends who wanted to see me come back and that’s exactly what I wanted to do. Faith was definitely a huge factor as well as was having a positive personality. People can be impacted by my story and I can relate and be there for anyone in a similar situation. To be able to tell my story and have it serve as a motivator for people is just awesome.”
