DES MOINES, Iowa — John Foth is sitting out weeks of his senior year soccer season so he can donate bone marrow to his sister.

John’s sister Ava was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2022. The treatment worked at first, but Ava developed Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a rare form of cancer that comes from cancer treatment.

To treat MDS, Ava needed a bone marrow transplant. Luckily her brother John was a perfect match.

Foth is the captain of the Dowling Catholic Varsity Boys’ Soccer. Foth said he had no hesitation when he found out he was a match for his sister.

“I mean, no matter what they asked me to do, I would do it. And that was kind of the first thing I said when I found out. I said, I’ll take this away for you if I can. And I just asked God for a way to help me out. And he gave me the next best thing,” Foth said.

Jackson Teeling, the Head Coach of the Dowling Catholic Varsity Boys’ Soccer Team, said that the team will notice John’s absence.

“We will feel the absence. It’ll be felt. It’ll be seen on the field. I mean, replacing John, there’s not really replacing John and he’s, if not the best center back in the state. One of the best. Just physically imposing phenomenal leader and he wins the soccer games,” Teeling said.

Teeling said that the team has been supportive of Foth during his sister’s treatment.

“His obviously gives us a reason bigger than soccer. It’s something that we can all get behind. Outside of there are other reasons that they’re playing for. So it’s been a bit of a rallying cry for the team and brought us closer together for that,” Teeling said.

Foth will travel to Iowa City to donate bone marrow this coming Monday. To sign up to be a bone marrow donor, visit the National Marrow Donor Program Website.