Bowling Green State University Athletics
Jordan Sigalet Holds Press Conference to Discuss Illness
December 13, 2004 | Ice Hockey
Dec. 13, 2004
Bowling Green, Ohio - The following is a transcript of Jordan Sigalet's press conference on Monday, December 13, 2004. Sigalet made public on December 11 that he has multiple sclerosis and spoke for the first time to the public about his illness on Monday in the Alumni Lounge of the BGSU Ice Arena. Sigalet was joined by Head Coach Scott Paluch, his teammates, and his brother Jonathan, also a member of the Falcon Hockey team.
Jordan Sigalet's opening comments
Jordan Sigalet: " First of all, I would like to thank everyone for coming out today. I'm here to talk about my illness, which is Multiple Sclerosis. By making this public I hope to help others who suffer from this same disease and learn more about the disease myself. The support I have received so far has been tremendous. I would like to thank my family, teammates, coaches, doctors and also my brother."
 Jordan Sigalet (right) with BGSU Coach Scott Paluch.  |
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When did you first notice something was wrong?
Sigalet: "It all started last year in March after a weekend with Northern Michigan. I woke up in the morning and my foot was kind of numb. I thought that was strange, and it continued to go on throughout the day. Later on in the day it had spread to other parts of my body and the next day I was numb from the neck down. I went and saw Dr. Wojo [Wojciechowski]. He put me through a bunch of tests and scans to see what was wrong, and that is when Wojo broke the news to me that it was MS."
Who were the first people you told?
Sigalet: "Dr. Wojo has been great. He contacted my family as well as coaches and we kept it amongst the team since then until I felt right to come out with it now. It definitely feels good to get it off my chest and talk about it."
What have you learned about the disease since being diagnosed?
Sigalet: "I definitely have done a lot of research on things that cause out-breaks. My whole diet has changed. It has definitely changed my life and the way I approach everything."
What about your future for hockey?
Sigalet: "That's definitely the biggest thing on my mind. That's what I love to do and want to do it for the rest of my life. Everyday is a new day and I take it one day at a time, hope for the best everyday and hope I can continue to play."
"It's day-to-day, but I am 99 percent sure I'll be back after Christmas playing. Just take it one day at a time, but I am planning on playing hockey until I am 40 years old. No matter where it is, even if it is men's league. I am going to keep playing."
 Sigalet vs. Alaska Fairbanks last season. |
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How has it affected your life outside of hockey?
Sigalet: "It has changed it a lot. I need a lot more rest than I used to get. It has definitely made me a lot closer to my family and teammates. Everyone has been so supportive. I would not be able to get through this without them."
What did you know about MS before this happened?
Sigalet: "I had no idea what was ahead of me. I started researching right away and talking to as many people as I could that knew about the disease. I started reading books and articles, trying to learn as much as I can. Hopefully one day I will be able to help someone else when they have questions about it.
Have you done any fundraisers for MS or plans in the future for fundraisers?
Sigalet: "I have not yet, but definitely want to set up some sort of fundraiser. I know there is a MS walk in Ohio, I will try to take part in and get our team a part of. We are going to set up something. I am looking forward to it."
Why come out with this now?
Sigalet: "Every time I have had something go wrong, I have been trying to hide behind the fact that I have the flu. I just did not want to hide behind that anymore. It has been a burden on me and I wanted to get it off my shoulders. The support I have received already and the people that have contacted me, would not have allowed me to have these contacts if I didn't come out with it. I have learned so much already and there is so much still ahead but there are people that I do not know that will be able to help me."
Do doctors have any way of predicting long term about this disease?
Sigalet: "I think it is different with every patient."
Was it shocking that someone in such great shape could get this disease?
Sigalet: "It was very shocking. Things were going so well and I am young. I play that weekend and overnight I am in a hospital. It is definitely very frustrating and depressing. So the biggest part of it is to stay positive. The only way I can beat this is to stay positive."
How much help has your brother Jonathan been?
Sigalet: "He has been a huge supporter as well as my whole family. It has been hard on him, too, from a mental standpoint and I am proud of him on how he has gotten through it. He has definitely made it easier for me to battle this."
What's the best thing a friend or teammate can do for you?
Sigalet: "Just be there and lift up my spirits is great. Some people think I don't like to talk about it, but I think it helps a lot and it doesn't bother me at all. Just treat me the same as they have before. I don't expect anything different from anyone. I don't want people feeling sorry for me. Just be like how you were before."
What was your reaction to Jordan being diagnosed?
Head Coach Scott Paluch: "I was in obvious shock. Someone who performs at such a high level and when you get the news, it is just shocking. But to see and watch Jordan, how he took the news right in stride has been as courageous as any young man to go through it. For our whole staff and team, to watch how Jordan has handled it is remarkable.
How has it affect your entire team?
Paluch: "The most important thing is when Jordan got the respect in terms of privacy in the manor. To have a group of guys that are so close, and to have something to happen like this and keep it in-house shows the respect everyone has for Jordan. That's been a great sign for our group and everyone involved with our program."
Has this changed you in anyway?
Paluch: "It certainly has made me step back at times. You look at all these athletes and see what they do every single day and the level they have to perform at it has allowed me to put a lot of things in perspective. You really learn about the strength of some human beings and what Jordan and all of us have learned is to not let something like this affect how we go about our daily routine."
