Hollister, CA - Freelance

July 14, 2007
by Paul Doherty, Staff Writer

Foyle has Emergency Appendectomy

Morgan Hill - Golden State Warriors center Adonal Foyle was treated for a enflamed appendix in Gilroy Friday after feeling ill and having stomach pains.

Foyle runs the Adonal Foyle Athletics and Academics Basketball Camps, a multi-city youth basketball camp series that stresses both basketball fundamentals as well as academics.

The two day camp, held at the Centennial Recreation Center, in Morgan Hill kept on going Friday, led by camp director Michael DeGrazia, as Foyle was taken to St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy.

Doctors performed an appendectomy at 4pm Friday.

Acute appendicitis is treated by surgery to remove the appendix.

Most people treated for appendicitis recover excellently and rarely need to make any changes in their diet, exercise, or lifestyle.

Doctors usually prescribe pain medication and ask patients to limit physical activity, according to National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC).

"He'll be fine," Foyle's publicist Chris Navalta said, "You can't control an appendix, but it's unfortunate for the kids."

The camps are known for their smaller numbers and level of intimacy, as Foyle is highly involved and likes to jump in and coach when the kids are doing drills.

"A key component is being able to be intimate with the kids," Navalta said. "This is like a smaller college basketball camp feel, and the kids will walk away really feeling like they got to know each other, and Adonal."

Other counselors as well as the campers were concerned for Adonal's health, and stressed that they knew Foyle would be disappointed to miss the rest of the camp.

Camp guest speaker and former Harlem Globetrotter Roy Byrd hung out on both days of the camp, and expressed his regard for Foyle's situation.

"Adonal is a good dude," Byrd said. "He's not the type of guy to show up for the first few hours for a photoshoot and then leave ... He's here all day every day, unless his appendix burst."

The next camp, which is scheduled for July 14-15 in Concord, has been cancelled due to Foyle's condition.

The 10-year Warriors veteran became a U.S. citizen on March 13, 2007, and played an important leadership role in the Warriors playoff run last season.

"He should be ready to go just before training camp," Navalta said.

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