One Iowa City man is using the support he gets as a coach to help him during his fight against cancer.

Tom Mittman, who has been the head coach of the City High girls cross country team since 1997, was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma at the beginning of the season.

Mittman is close to all the girls on the team and throughout his chemotherapy during the season, the girls have helped him stay positive.

“They’re the 70 daughters I’ve never had,” he said. “They’re my fifth drug and the one I get every day.”

Daily Iowan TV’s Austin Love has the full story.