Leaving Their Hearts on the Green Greenup County’s Golf Team Swings for Something Greater

Leaving Their Hearts on the Green

Greenup County’s Golf Team

Swings for Something Greater

Sasha Bush

The Ashland Beacon

At a recent regional golf tournament, the Greenup County boy’s golf team showed what true strength looks like — not just in their swings, but in their hearts. While their scores spoke to their talent, it was their silent message that said even more. Each player wore a custom-made polo embroidered with the words “Casen Strong,” honoring seven-year-old Casen Gullett, the younger brother of teammate Evan Gullett. Casen is in the toughest battle of his life, bravely facing DIPG — a rare, aggressive brain cancer with no known cure. The team didn’t just represent their school that day — they represented love, courage, and unwavering support for one of their own.

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a rare and fast-growing brain tumor that starts in a part of the brainstem called the pons. The brainstem is located just above the back of the neck and connects the brain to the spinal cord. The pons controls many important body functions like breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, as well as movements involved in seeing, hearing, walking, talking, and eating.

DIPG is a type of glioma, which means it begins in glial cells—the cells that help support and protect the brain’s nerve cells.

Each year in the United States, about 300 children are diagnosed with DIPG. It most commonly affects kids between the ages of five and 10, but it can also happen in younger children or teenagers. DIPG is very rare in adults.

Casen’s battle began just days before Christmas 2023, when he was only 5 years old. Since then, he has completed his third round of radiation and is currently on an experimental drug in hopes of slowing the disease. Now in the second grade and about to celebrate his 8th birthday, Casen is pushing through a particularly tough stretch. But through it all, he remains the light of his family—full of joy, love, and an unshakable faith.

“He’s a friend to everyone,” says his family. “He loves being surrounded by loved ones and being the best brother to his siblings.” Casen is obsessed with fishing, has transformed his closet into a nerf gun hideout, and cheers proudly for his favorite team—the Kansas City Chiefs. He also adores the song “My Jesus” by Anne Wilson, which reflects his deep love for Christ.

The idea to honor Casen came straight from the hearts of the Greenup County golf team players. The team approached Coach Walker and asked if they could wear special shirts to honor Evan Gullett’s brother, Casen at the regional tournament coming up.  As the team gathered on the practice green, their purpose became clear.

“They told me, ‘We are playing Casen Strong today.’ It was a deeply moving moment,” Coach Walker shared on GC Schools Facebook page. “They weren’t just playing for a title anymore—they were playing for something far greater. They were playing for one of their own.”

He added, “As a coach, I always hope to leave a lasting impact on my players. But that day, they were the ones who made an unforgettable impact on me.”

Adam Gullett, Casen’s father thought the gesture from GCHS’s golf team was nothing short of amazing and shared, “You guys are an awesome group of young men! Thank you for supporting Casen and our family! Go GC!”

In recent weeks, Greenup County’s community has shown up in powerful ways—even GCHS’s volleyball team became involved in spreading the love with the volleyball team’s “Ace’n for Casen” event. The message is loud and clear: Casen is not fighting alone.

Casen’s fight has reached far beyond the borders of Greenup County, stirring compassion in the hearts of people near and far. His strength, his smile, and his unbreakable spirit have inspired a movement — and now, you can be part of it.

Show your support by using the hashtag #CasenStrongAndBrave — let his family feel the love that’s surrounding them.

Share #EndDIPG to help raise awareness about this aggressive disease and the urgent need for more research and funding.

And most importantly, honor the family’s greatest request: pray. Pray for healing, for peace, and for the strength to keep fighting.

To the Greenup County golf team — thank you for standing tall when it mattered most. You reminded us all that true victory isn’t just measured in trophies, but in compassion, unity, and heart.

Casen, we’re all with you. You are strong. You are brave. And you are so deeply loved — every single day.

#CasenStrong