Oostburg teen overcomes life's greatest challenges to become top level high school archer

OOSTBURG, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A young woman from Oostburg is now one of the top 200 high school archery students in the nation, but it wasn't an easy path for her. Number six for high school girls' archery in Wisconsin, and 141st out of over 6600 competitors at nationals in Kentucky with a score of 286 out of 300. It's fair to say 18-year-old Abby Follen has accomplished a lot in her two years of practicing archery.

"We figured we would either anger the orthopedic surgeon or the dentist. We chose to anger the dentist," said Abby, "I don't shoot like everyone else, I kind of stand out. When I was nine years old, I was diagnosed with bone cancer in my right shoulder. And as a result of that, they had to take out the bones and the muscles in there. So I have limited arm function."

Abby can only lift about 15 pounds with her right arm, which is supported by an internal strap. It takes at least 16 pounds to even draw back a teenage level bow. She shoots using her mouth.

"I push the bow forward, which inevitably draws it so then when I want to release my arrow, I just open my mouth," explained Abby.

"There was a day when Mrs. Antes the PE teacher was helping me and I noticed there was a girl on the sidelines so I asked Mrs. Antes what was going on and she just said that that was Abby," 

C.J. Swart, the Oostburg High School Archery Assistant Coach, says that's when he ordered a mouth tab, a small strip of fabric than can be attached to the bowstring and bit down on.

"I was aware of mouth tabs on bows at that point. So I told her I can set up a bow quick with a mouth tab," said C.J., "the following day or two days later, when the next class happened I was able to set up a bow with a mouth tap and I was able to get her on the line shooting."

Abby's mom, Nikki Follen, says she was skeptical at first.

"[Abby] said Mom, I'm gonna get to shoot archery tomorrow in gym class, and I went okay," said Nikki, "and I just kind of blew it off because I'm like, how do you think you're gonna shoot with one arm kid?"

Abby says the first time was intense.

"Everyone else had finished their round the Ms. Antes called me over to us to try out this bow that coach C.J. had brought for me," said Abby.

"The next day I got a video from the teacher showing her shooting with her mouth, and I was like, Oh, I guess I can eat that," laughed Nikki.

Head coach Jenn Swart says that moment changed everything.

"That three-inch little strip with the grommet hole punch through it has changed her life," said Jenn.

C.J. saw Abby's passion right away and offered her equipment to practice with.

"You can have this extra target, take it. You've got a barn set it up, practice as much as you want," said C.J..

Soon, she was asking for more arrows.

"When you get a tight grouping, they tend to run into each other," explained Jenn, "so you're going to strip off the fletchings, you're going to bend arrows because it's just the nature of it. So we were delighted when she would come to us and say I need more arrows. We're like yeah, we got arrows we will provide."

Abby became part of the high school team, she says the reactions at competitions from kids who had never seen her shoot before were priceless.

I finish, I grabbed my bow to go back," recalled Abby, "and as I'm walking back, I see my shooting partner's face and his friends face."

Varsity letters, medals, and more recognition came with that.

"She is just a gem and she's just a joy. Having her as a part of our team has elevated the fellow teammates seeing her dedication to the sport," said Jenn.

Amy Antes, Abby's physical education teacher, agrees.

"I think it's a good message for everyone, Abby and everybody else that they're that everyone's got their own challenges and their own things that they need to overcome," said Antes, "and hers happens to be that she doesn't have a shoulder really, but that doesn't mean that you have all these limits put on your life."

Abby even went on to try other things she might've sat on the sidelines for in the past.

"She's also just like blown me out of the water. With things that I've kind of challenged her with. And she's just like, okay, like, let's try it like for example, rock climbing and doing a high ropes course and climbing a telephone pole with one arm, which is just like mind blowing," said Antes.

It wasn't always going to be like this however.

"Christmas day she was in tears and nothing I could do could take away the pain," said Nikki recalling the moment her, Abby's, and the rest of her family's life would change forever.

When Abby was 9, Nikki says she kept having pain in her shoulder. After visiting several different doctors who said she likely just strained her shoulder, they finally got an MRI done.

"They call back and said there's an eight-centimeter tumor on your daughter's right scapula," said Nikki, "and I said is it benign? They said no, it's malignant."

To remove that cancer, a significant amout of bone and muscle needed to be removed, then, chemo therapy.

It all didn't stop Abby.

"I mean, at one point her surgeon did tell her, Abby, you need to think about a career that would use your cranium," said Nikki, "and Abby wants to consider everything."

"When she finally found her niche, and she found something it brings such joy to a parent's heart to be able to just be there to root them on and cheer through her difficulties that she struggled through and watch her shine," said Nikki.

Looking to the future, Abby's Dad Sean Follen says they'll likely need to find another way for Abby to shoot, so she doesn't ruin her teeth.

Her parents say there's been talks with paralympic coaches and colleges about taking her skill to the next level.

"We're just working through what adaptive measures are allowed, what's available. What does that look like, where do you get that equipment from. Obviously it's not necessarily just a mouth tab," said Sean.

Abby says coming off her performance at nationals, she hopes to one day shoot in the Paralympics.

She says this was only possible from all the people around her, and her faith.

"If someone like me, a kid from a small town in Wisconsin, no one even has heard of like if I can get to this point with God's help, and with the help of other people. Anyone really can do it," said Abby.