What would you do to save a life?

Would you rescue a child from a burning building?

Would you perform CPR on a stranger?

Would you become a living organ donor?

Would you attend a high school volleyball match?

The last one sounds simple.

It is.

On Thursday, Pojoaque Valley High School entertains St. Michael's in Ben Luján Gymnasium. It's more than the penultimate match of the District 2AAA volleyball season for both teams.

It's personal.

In August, Melissa Ainsworth, who taught the game to Brian Ainsworth while both were New Mexico Highlands University students, was diagnosed with breast cancer. The Ainsworths are one of three families within the Pojoaque Valley volleyball program that have been impacted by cancer this season.

That's where Thursday comes in.

The proceeds from the night will be donated to The University of New Mexico Cancer Center in Albuquerque on behalf of Melissa Ainsworth. Depending upon the depth of the pockets, the Ainsworths also hope to donate to the Breast Care Fund in Española, the city where Melissa was raised and where she was graduated from McCurdy School in 1987.

A year ago, the Elkettes took part in Volley for the Cure, raising $1,200. This time, Brian Ainsworth hopes to triple that amount, at the absolute minimum. It isn't just admission and concession. Raffles are ready. Pink T-shirts are printed.

The word's out. Every elementary school student took a flier home. There are announcements in the hallways. Now, let's see the turnout.

That's where the communities of Pojoaque, Santa Fe and Española come in. Ben Luján Gymnasium can house 4,400. Brain Ainsworth, Elkettes head coach, hopes to see more rumps than seats.

"It's not just for us or Melissa," he says. "This event is about helping people who have been impacted by this disease. Over the last month, knowing how many people it's hit, this is about trying to support all those people, and thanking them for fighting the hard battles."

Brian sees how tough Melissa is — daily — and he was the cocky All-American quarterback at Highlands and she was the down-to-earth volleyball and basketball player when they met in August 1987.

"I can't say enough about how strong she's been, how she's made some tough decisions and how she's tackled it," Brian says.

Melissa isn't fighting for one.

"It's not just about me," she says. "It's a lot bigger than that."

192,370 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2009, according to the American Cancer Society. There will be an additional 62,280 cases of situ breast cancer.

Melissa Ainsworth is neither a number, nor a statistic.

She is a daughter and a sister.

She is a wife and a best friend.

She is a mother to Briana, 13, and Justin, 9, and a second mother when it comes to caring about the Elkettes, the ones who have gone through the program or are in the program.

She is a coach and a confidant.

She is now part of the cancer community. It's a role she's embracing with an open heart and open arms.

"This happened to me for a reason," Melissa, 40, says. "I know there is a plan for me, and that plan is in the hands of God. I've accepted it, and I'm going to do with it what I can. Hopefully, that will be a positive thing."

Strength in one is strength in many.

Love received is love returned.

"I have a friend who was diagnosed before me and she said, 'This isn't something bad, this is something good. You're going through something and you know it's hard and you're able to talk to others about it and that helps them,' " Melissa says. "It's opening up all this awareness. I know I'm going to come out a better person because of everything that is going on.

"It's not going to be fun. It's not something I would wish upon anybody. But I've made a lot of friends and we're able to talk to each other, pray for each other, wish each other the best. The fact that we have each other and can help each other relieves a lot of the stress of knowing that you have the disease."

Melissa has undergone three surgeries. She returned to coaching Briana's seventh-grade volleyball team two days after the first. She was at Briana's match the day of her second surgery.

"I wanted them to schedule the surgery for as early as possible," Melissa says. "I could barely stand and I was walking crooked, but by the time I got to the gym I was all right."

The last surgery, a week ago, lasted five hours.

"The test results came back very positive," Brian says. "We received such good news out of that. She's on the road to recovery there."

A final surgery is scheduled in six weeks.

A surgeon's skill isn't always enough. Melissa faces another tough decision ahead. This one involves chemotherapy.

"I need to decide on my own," Melissa says. "The doctors have told me that I'm in the middle zone, so I don't know if I need it or don't need it. It's difficult. I have one friend who went through it and two others that are going through it now. For me, I don't know if it's harder if you absolutely need it and you don't get to make that decision."

There will be soul-searching.

And research.

And consultations with doctors.

And first opinions.

And second opinions.

And faith.

And futures.

Justin was what a 9-year-old should be when told of his mom's illness, and Melissa was grateful that the gravity didn't set in and harden like cement. Briana, meanwhile, is Brian-with-an-a.

"She doesn't cry. Ever," Melissa says. "She asked me if I was going to be OK. I told her, 'Honestly, I don't know what's going to happen. I do know I'm going to fight with everything I have to be here for you guys.' "

The moisture on Briana's cheeks was not sweat.

Brian's, either.

"That's the reality slap, when you look at your kids," Melissa says. "I know I can be strong, but sometimes you wonder if you can be strong enough to beat this and be strong enough for them."

She has.

She is.

She will be.

She's more like Brian than she cares to admit.

Thursday, though, won't be without emotion.

For the present

For the past.

"We do have a parent who passed away from breast cancer," Melissa says. "There are two girls who have gone through so much already and now they are going through this with me again. They've been at my side and they've given me things that belonged to their mother. To know that you have touched somebody's heart ... I can't say enough about them.

"It's hard to hold back the tears when I think about them and their mother. This night is also for her and her daughters, who have grown up to be very beautiful young ladies, very compassionate young ladies."

St. Michael's wasted zero seconds in wanting to do its part, after Brian approached Chela Butler, Lady Horsemen head coach, and told her about what he and Melissa wanted to do. Butler immediately offered to help raise money for Melissa, to help with the expenses. Melissa said thanks, but there was a greater need — UNM Cancer Center and Española, especially after the latter held a walk for her.

"I'll try not to be emotional," Melissa says of Thursday, "because I'll want to be strong from them. This cause is about all of the women — and men — who are going through this. Listening to all the stories, it's made me more appreciative of what I have. If I only see 10 people in the gym, I want to be just as strong for them as they have been for me."

A full house can't beat cancer. But a pink house is a start.

"I'm looking for a packed gym," Brian says. "We've asked everybody to wear pink and I will be wearing pink. We can stand up for this. We can find a cure. The valleys of Pojoaque and Española, and Santa Fe, we're in this with everybody else in the country.

"This event is about helping people. Whether you come and share your experiences, or you come to help raise money, or you come just to watch some quality volleyball, we need to keep this in the front of our minds. If we stand up together, I believe we'll eventually find a cure."

For others.

For Melissa.

"She's my best friend," Brian says. "I want to do everything I can to help my best friend through this.

"A lot of times, I take things for granted. We've always been a family on the go and there's times when I've missed some things. But this makes you take a step back and cherish every moment because you don't know if you'll be here tomorrow. We're fighting hard to make sure we're at everything for Briana and Justin."

Others are making sure the Ainsworths aren't standing alone.

The latest to step forward were the Lady Dons of West Las Vegas, who showed Saturday how tight-knit the District 2AAA volleyball community is.

Before warm-ups commenced in Gillie Lopez Gymnasium, the Lady Dons presented Brian with a dozen red roses and a card for Melissa at the captains' and coaches' meeting. Linda Esquibel, West Las Vegas captain, also had a message for Melissa, "We're praying for her."

"I was like, whoa!" Brian says. "It was the classiest thing I've seen in all my years of coaching. I'll always remember that."

Ainsworth hopes another indelible memory awaits Thursday.

"I've seen this place packed when St. Michael's and Pojoaque play in boys basketball, and this place is really special when it's like that," Brian says. "We already receive great support from our fans all season, and it's truly appreciated. But I'm hoping for one of the biggest crowds ever for a volleyball match at Pojoaque."

One night.

One cause.

One opportunity.

What are you going to do?

PLAYING FOR A CURE

Who: St. Michael's at Pojoaque Valley

When: Thursday, C-team, 4 p.m.; junior varsity, 5 p.m.; varsity, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Ben Luján Gymnasium