Oregon Ducks, Washington Huskies Fans Come Together in Fight Against Leukemia

Washington Huskies fan Evie Johnson's battle with Leukemia made the rounds on social media over the weekend, leading to an outpouring of support between Oregon and Washington schools.

Fans listen as Mat Kearney performs following the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

EUGENE - The roots of rivalries run deep in college athletics but there are times when more pressing matters are at hand. News started going around college football circles over the weekend of Evelyn “Evie” Johnson, a six-year-old Washington Huskies fan’s diagnosis of and battle with Leukemia.

As the news swept social media, Big Ten Conference rival Washington Huskies and Oregon Ducks fans pooled resources to the tune of $46,000 in GoFundMe donations in just three days towards the treatment of Evie’s Leukemia. In a rare showing of rival collaboration, the two fan bases have set aside their differences for the greater good.

Johnson lives with her father, Kyle, and her mother, Whitney, in a small town called White Salmon in southwest Washington which Kyle describes as an equal split of Washington and Oregon fans. “There’s a lot of back and forth, living on the border here,” said Kyle. “It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever seen the fan bases interact in such a cordial way.”

Fans listen as Mat Kearney performs following the Oregon Ducks’ Spring Game Saturday, April 27. 2024 / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

Evie’s fight against Leukemia began in January when she noticed strange bruising around her eye, coupled with unexplained back pain. After being examined and discharged from the hospital in February, Evie’s condition worsened and she was taken to Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel in Portland where doctors were again unable to find out what was wrong.

Just a few short weeks after this, Evie was officially diagnosed with leukemia. “Our lives got flipped upside down that day,” said Kyle. “Worst thing you can hear as a parent.”

Evie is now battling through induction therapy and is responding positively, according to her father. As the donations continue to stream in, Kyle is grateful for the collaboration between two usually opposing groups of fans. “It’s just humbling - is kind of the only way I can really put it for myself,” said Kyle. “It’s going to mean a lot to my family.”

READ MORE: Oregon Basketball's Payton Pritchard: 'I Feel Like I Can Go Against Anybody'

READ MORE: Oregon Football Powerhouse: 'Buying Stock' In Coach Dan Lanning

READ MORE: Oregon Football's Bo Nix Impresses Broncos' Sean Payton at Rookie Minicamp

READ MORE: Oregon Football's Troy Franklin Reveals Goals In Broncos Rookie Minicamp