Brain Tumor Survivor Skates Again with Help from OhioHealth

For Sean Lancaster, hockey has always been more than just a game. After being sidelined by a brain tumor three years ago, he never imagined he'd lace up his skates again. But thanks to the team at OhioHealth Neurological Rehabilitation in Upper Arlington, he’s getting back to the game he loves.

“I had come to accept that hockey and skating was probably not in the cards for me ever again,” Lancaster told 10TV.

A lifelong hockey fan, Lancaster grew up playing the sport and later passed that passion on to his children. He even stepped behind the bench to coach. Recovery kept him away from the rink, but with support from his care team at OhioHealth, he’s moving in ways that once felt out of reach.

“There is no doubt you want to go right back into where you felt you were,” Lancaster said. “So it’s working with Kelly in terms of putting healthy buffers around what I’m trying to do, whether it’s the harness, whether it’s gloves, stick for balance, things like that.”

With the help of his physical therapist, Lancaster is rediscovering old movements and testing out familiar skills in a safe, supportive environment. While the tumor is gone, he knows recovery will still take time.

Getting back into gear, he said, is about more than muscle memory, it’s about family.

“I played, but also coached my sons,” he said. “And so I wanted to reconnect with them as well through this process. And then it’s become my three-year-old daughter, who’s a Blue Jackets fan, and particularly [Kirill] Marchenko, who has said, ‘You’re on skates, DaDa.’”

To learn more about neurological rehabilitation services at OhioHealth, click here.