University of North Carolina Athletics
Bozek Helping Tar Heels From The Sideline In 2015
August 27, 2015 | Field Hockey
Bozek has always been one to roll with the punches, and the past few months have tested her abilities to do just that. “I believe everyone faces challenges in life,” Bozek. “Kudos to anyone who can pick themselves up after one of them. But after the second, third and fourth obstacle? The way a person reacts after consistently being knocked down is a reflection of their true character.”
“Emma is one of the most positive people I know,” UNC coach Karen Shelton said. “She's been through a lot this summer, yet she still has a smile on her face. I know she's determined to make something good come out of her experience and we're so glad to have her as a part of our team.”
For the past several years, Bozek had felt that something was “not quite right” with her body, even though she was able to thrive athletically and academically and compete at the highest levels of physical play. A business major and member of the Carolina Honors program, she was a two-year starter in the midfield and earned All-South Region and second team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors as a junior. However, over the summer, her health took a turn for the worst and in June she felt bad enough that her sister took her to the emergency room. Twenty-four hours and many tests later, doctors told Bozek that she had a congenital abnormality called a sequestered lung. From birth, a portion of her lung had been blocked off and did not serve any lung function. Because that part of the lung wasn't in use, it was highly susceptible to infection and that's exactly what happened to land her in the hospital – an abscess had formed within the sequestration in the lower part of her left lung.
Removing it safely involved taking out half of that lung. Bozek spent a week in the hospital but was up and walking the day after surgery, and headed toward a shorter-than-usual hospital stay based on her high level of fitness. A few weeks later, however, her lung collapsed, forcing a return to the hospital and setting her recovery back. It was this second incident that ultimately determined that she'd have to sit out the entire 2015 season and do whatever she could to help the team from the sidelines. After discussing matters with head coach Karen Shelton, it was agreed that Bozek would remain an integral part of the team, attending practices and games, while serving as an undergraduate assistant coach.
“Coach Shelton, my teammates and the entire Carolina community have been so unbelievably supportive to me and my family,” Bozek says. “I wouldn't have made it through these last three months without them and I will be forever indebted to them for all they have done.”
“Our team is 100 percent behind Emma as she continues to recover,” Shelton said. “She's an extremely talented field hockey player, but her health and continued well-being are the biggest concerns right now.”
Prior to the situation this summer, the only illness or injury to keep Bozek off the field was a hip flexor that sidelined her for three games last season. Despite missing that time, she finished 2014 as the team leader in points (42) and goals (16). Now, the hope is that she can overcome this setback and get herself ready for the 2016 season. “The doctors can't promise me that I'll be able to play at the same level as last year, but they are cautiously optimistic that my level of fitness and age will allow me to have a full recovery, despite the surgery and loss of half of my lung,” she said.
Bozek expects to return to the field and play her senior season in 2016 and is itching to pick up a field hockey stick and start hitting as soon as possible. “I'm definitely dying to get back out there with my teammates, but at the same time I'm trying to make the most of every opportunity as a coach,” she said. “Coaching gives me a different perspective on the game and since I also have a player's perspective, I hope I'll be able to help my teammates.”
The events of the last three months have given Bozek a new perspective on her future and her life's path. A Dean's List student in UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School, she was all set to pursue a career in marketing after graduation. However, the three weeks spent in the hospital and the level of care she received from the nurses there convinced her to take a different path. Although she'll still graduate with a business degree in May of 2016, she is set to attend nursing school right after graduation and will make nursing her full time career.
“There were a bunch of times during my hospital stay that one of my nurses had asked me if I would ever consider a career in nursing,” Bozek said. “At the time, I could hardly think past my next dose of painkillers let alone my future career path. However, after three month of being out of the hospital and thinking clearly about nursing as a career option, I know it's not just a knee-jerk reaction to my experience. Nursing feels right for me and a business degree will help, especially if I eventually go into something administrative in a hospital. I hope to be able to make a difference in people's lives in a similar way that mine was changed during those weeks in the hospital. I can't wait to get started.”
