It may not be common to encounter a competitive roller skater, much less one who has battled cancer.
But for freshman Aditi Bhuman, both of these challenges have been part of her journey.
“I first got into roller skating when I went to a roller skating birthday party with my friend,” Bhuman said. “It took me about two hours to get it, and I kept falling, but I was really determined to get it down.”
That birthday party was where Bhuman met her coach, David Trumble, who saw potential in her and offered to coach her.
“I really love my coach,” Bhuman said. “He’s always been there for me.”
Trumble instructs dancing, figure skating and roller skating, and he has been training Bhuman for three years now.
“Aditi has been building strength on a regular basis, and this is a very hard sport,” Trumble said. “We keep in mind that students are going to have good days and bad days, and we prepare every single time.”
Trumble said the last competition that Bhuman took part in was a beginner’s event in Sacramento a year ago in which she did very well.
Bhuman participates in the roller skating category known as freestyle, which includes jumps and spins and generally require higher in energy.
“Competitive roller skating is very similar to competitive ice skating,” Trumble said. “We have many similar requirements, and all the dances are the same.”
In competitive roller skating, points are scored by certified judges who have different categories for scoring for different events. For example, in figures one of the scoring categories is the quality of the edge/circle, which must round, and should not have ragged edges.
Skating is not a walk in the park. While not very common, it can lead to some injuries.
“I have fallen so many times, I even have bruises on my knee right now,” Bhuman said. “One time, I fell and couldn’t walk for two to three days because of internal bruising.”
Competitive roller skating is often confused with roller derby, but what Bhuman competes in is more similar to figure skating.
“A lot of people, when I tell them I skate, they are like ‘Oh competitive roller skating is a thing?” Bhuman said.
She mentioned that her skating is not a contact or team sport, but has a lot that goes into it that doesn’t exist in other sports. Roller skating also requires hard work and time commitment.
“I roller skate for three or four hours every Saturday,” Bhuman said.
A challenge that Bhuman encountered while first getting into roller skating was the limited amount of skating rinks in the Bay Area. Currently, Bhuman practices at Golden Skate in San Ramon, which has been open for 48 years but could close soon. There have been talks over the past few years of the skating rink closing to make way for a new housing development.
This poses a concern to Bhuman and her family as they will have to travel much farther away for practice.
But none of these challenges in Bhuman’s skating career compare to the greatest obstacle she’s faced in life: battling brain cancer.
As a child, Bhuman was right handed, but her aunt saw weaknesses in her right side, and that she was using her left hand more often. When her family took her to get an MRI, it was confirmed that she had right sided hemiplegia.
From the ages four to seven, Bhuman received cancer treatment. Doctors finally saw signs of remission at the age of 10. But even to this day Bhuman doesn’t know if the cancer is completely gone.
“I remember seeing my parents crying,” Bhuman said. “We lived in India at the time and had to move over to the States, which was really stressful and a lot for a four year old.”
At such a young age, Bhuman didn’t know much about cancer. But cancer had a big impact on her life, from roller skating to other small activities, and it proved to be much more crippling than fatal.
“The cancer paralyzed my entire right side, so I had to relearn how to walk, how to tie my shoes, how to zip up my jacket, and more,” Bhuman said.
But this is also the reason why she chose roller skating over any other sport. Since the motor skills on her right side are a little low, her balance on her left leg is extremely good.
“I can stay on my left leg for the entire circle around the rink,” Bhuman said.
Throughout her cancer journey, Bhuman’s family, especially her parents and grandparents, continued to be caring and loving.
“I had to go on the keto diet through chemotherapy, and my mom always made sure I had something [to feel better],” Bhuman said.
Bhumans’s mom, Swetha Polamreddy, said that during tough moments in competitions, her family reminds her that progress is not always linear and the importance of celebrating small wins.
“Aditi is a remarkably persistent girl who doesn’t get shaken easily,” Polamreddy said. “Hopefully, through this experience, Aditi has learned the value of resilience, consistency and self belief.”
Bhuman’s parents have been extremely supportive her through this trying journey. They had birthday parties for her, and took her to doctors appointments and physical therapies.
“It’s not exactly something I hide about myself,” Bhuman said about her cancer history. “It already happened and it was kind of long ago.”
Bhuman’s friends were always there for her throughout her journey as well. Whenever she had health scares in the past, her friends gave her a shoulder to cry on and relentless support.
Bhuman said that being positive despite the circumstances is important when battling cancer.
“You don’t know what’s coming,” she said. “It could be good and it could be bad, but try to always have a smile on your face.”
Bhuman is also committed to giving back. She is actively involved with a nonprofit organization called the MaxLove Project, which focuses on supporting children and families affected by childhood cancer.
To this day, Bhuman continues to be a dedicated skater, and aspires to continue her roller skating journey.
“I will definitely continue roller skating through high school,” Bhuman said. “This is my thing.”
