It's a story for everyone, about an 11 year old girl named Autumn Fairall, who has leukemia, that plays, rather, used to play on the HPFC Eagles Red '96 P-1 girls soccer team out of the Highline premier organization.

Fairall has played soccer since age seven, the last year was for the top-tier Highline Eagles Premier One select association. Not anymore. Hopefully, she will again.

Her life is like this now.

"It's going OK, it's very tiring," she said.

Leukemia has her literally out of breath now.

Speaking of leukemia, what is it? It's a blood and bone marrow disease in which the body produces too many white blood cells. There are several forms. It is a terminal illness for some. Some, through a multi phased treatment including chemotherapy recover. Some don't.

Fairall has been treated at Children's Hospital, since being diagnosed in March. Fairall will be fighting it off for the next 2-3 years with chemotherapy.

How many times has Fairall gone to Children's Hospital already?

"I really don't know, I've lost count, too many times," Autumn said.

It began almost as a by product of normal sports activity.

"I started having really bad leg cramps," said Fairall. "After a few blood tests, we found out I had leukemia."

She was puzzled by her condition at first.

"I really didn't know what to think," she said. "I knew it was a really bad disease. I realized that if you catch it quick enough you won't die from it."

Autumn's mother Erinn Fairall said, "We are in phase three right now of five, or six phases, I am not sure how many phases really. We are just taking it one phase at at time."

Is complete recovery tough for Fairall? Not completely. Often, as Fairall said if it's caught in time it can be stopped from spreading.

"That is the general goal," Erinn said. "There is an 80 percent cure rate."

How does Autumn feel about the support she's gotten?

"I feel very blessed," Autumn said.

The Fairalls are Christians. On the way home from her initial diagnosis they were listening to the car radio. "It's kind of funny," said Erinn. "We never got angry at God. Spirit 105.3 was on. That is the station we listen to most."

Spirit 105.3 FM is a christian contemporary top 40 music station.

"As we listened, we found out there was a lady that was being interviewed on the station about something very serious going on in her life."

"I think it was cancer, I don't quite remember if it was her husband with it, or a friend or she had it, it wasn't a child, I remember that," she said. "She was asked a question 'Do you question God?' she said, 'I don't question the reason why. That is not a question that can be answered. I ask instead please teach me the lessons I need to know and let me learn them well.'"

"The two of us were in the car and I turned to my daughter and said, "That's what we need to focus on."

"That was a God thing, the Holy Spirit works in a lot of different ways."

On Friday, August 22nd her teammates from HFPC '96 red soccer team gathered as they normally do for a game against HFPC '96 Blue Team at the Starfire athletic complex in Tukwila. But this time they came together to honor and support Autumn.

They gave her a chance to kick the opening kick, and both teams cheered. She was given a special T-Shirt and some other gifts.

Her coaches spoke of the sudden changes in Fairall's play in practices.

"She found out a month after tryouts," said Alan Pederson, assistant coach. "She couldn't shake it, we couldn't figure out what was going on."

"I felt very weak, like I couldn't do very much," said Fairall. Now, some months into treatment she's doing pretty well but has a long way to go.

"She is a mere shadow of her former self," said Pedersen of Fairall. She could only go on the field to kick the ball for a few minutes because she's has 'very fragile skin' said her mother.

There is a lot of support for Autumn.

"The coaches are not just coaches, they are dads to every single girl," said Erinn.

"Alan works for Microsoft and they have a donation program that is incredible," she said. "BBQ's, other fun stuff too have been done for the girls getting together." Autumn's head coach is Keith Flewelling.

"Keith teaches goalie," said Erinn. "He's not just a good coach, he inspires them to do so much more. Girls have come a long way with his teaching."

Former professional soccer player Darren Sawatzsky was also on hand for the game. "Darren is the one who asked Keith and Alan together to coach," said Erinn Fairall. "If you want to see someone energize a team, watch Darren coach."

Some of Autumn's teammates for her soccer team spoke about her situation. "I think it's sad," said Alison Houke. Because Autumn is a good person and she doesn't deserve this."

"She's a great friend," said Katie French. "I think it's probably really hard to have that."

"Autumn has spirit," said Houke. "It's weird not to have Autumn there."

But they also see the positive side to her condition.

"Autumn is stronger," said Houke.

"She is doing better," said French. "We have been hearing good news lately."

"She's a goalie and defender," said Viviana Mattson, another teammate on Autumn's '96 Red team.

"Right defender," said Fairall. "I was always right."

Always right?" said Mattson, maybe a couple others sitting on the bench at this time during the game.

"Yes, always right," said Fairall. "I was always the person who was always right."

She laughed at her joke. So did Mattson and Lexi Pedersen, another teammate sitting by Fairall.

Having someone so young with this disease has prompted people to offer her gifts. "It's like Christmas over and over again, but the greatest gift is the people coming over to see me."

"It's fun to go see Autumn," said Annie Gesellchen, also on the team.

Many have done things for Autumn, such as 'Evergreen,' a same-age girls team that had one of their members come to the hospital with gifts, arts and crafts, and a big card signed by all the players.

There was Melissa Bennett, an accomplished former player at Seattle Christian School whose team made Autumn a big quilt. "There have been a lot of people that have given things to Autumn," said Flewelling. "People who don't even know her have stopped by or given her things."

Her road to recovery will be long but she's confident she knows how.

"With God's help and lots of friends," said Autumn. A friend whispered

something to her she should add to that.

"Yes, and prayer," she said.

There is a place to learn more about Autumn and offer your help, her website is www.caringbridge.org/visit/autumnfairall . You can also learn more about the HPFC (Highline Premier Football Club ) here www.hpfcpremier.com