The death of a Hero

The death of a Hero


One of my heroes died last night. While this is extremely saddening, I ask you to take on her attitude and live for others, speak for those who can't speak for themselves, dare to dream and make it a reality, and make a difference in this world.

Lauren Hill was not well known two years ago. A normal high school senior that loved basketball and lived for the game and all the things normal girls wish for.

Then on November 20,2013 she was diagnosed with a terminal, inoperable brain tumor. This was not the end for Lauren but the beginning of becoming a Hero! Lauren raised over 1.5 million dollars for cancer research! Her new goal is 2.2 million dollars in honor of her jersey number 22.

I could write pages about this girl who inspired so many but instead I'll post a timeline of her journey and ask you to please take some time to look at some (if not all) of the many links. It will definitely be worth your time. I included the web pages in case the links are not clickable so you may copy/paste them into your browser.


Remembering Lauren: http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/timeline-lauren-hills-rise-to-heroine-status

-- Lauren Hill became a hero in a short time after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer while a high school senior. She lived her dream of playing college basketball and raised more than $1.5 million for pediatric cancer research through the Lauren Hill Tribute Fund. https://curestartsnow.z2systems.com/np/clients/curestartsnow/campaign.jsp?campaign=199&

Here are the moments we'll remember most:

Oct. 1, 2013: The Lawrenceburg High School senior calls Mount St. Joseph University on her 18th birthday and commits to play basketball there the following season.

Nov. 20, 2013: Lauren is diagnosed with DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) http://www.thecurestartsnow.org/about/brain-cancer/dipg/ . She continues to play on her high school team while undergoing six weeks of radiation and chemo. Doctors tell her she should have about two years to live.

September 2014: After another MRI, doctors give Lauren a new prognosis: She probably won't live to Christmas.

October 2014: Lauren starts practice with the Mount women's basketball team.

Oct. 16, 2014: Mount St. Joseph announces a mutual agreement with the NCAA and Hiram College to move the Mount's scheduled game from Nov. 15 at Hiram to Nov. 2 at Xavier University. The 10,000-seat Cintas Center sells out in less than a day. ( http://www.wcpo.com/sports/college-sports/lh )

Oct. 27, 2014: Lauren posts a video on YouTube ( http://www.wcpo.com/sports/lauren-hill-mount-st-joseph-freshman-fighting-cancer-clock ) challenging Bengals Andy Dalton and Andrew Whitworth and several of her favorite NBA celebrities to do a Layup4Lauren or donate to The Cure Starts Now Foundation. The Bengals complete the challenge and pass it on to area college teams. Eventually it gets passed to college, high school and elementary teams around the country, as well as celebrities, and raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research.

Nov. 2, 2014: Lauren scores the first and last baskets of her first college game ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/live-video-lauren-hill-mount-basketball-player-dying-of-cancer-plays-her-first-college-game ) and becomes a national sensation on social and mainstream media after the Mount beats Hiram 66-55. Legendary retired Tennessee coach Pat Summit presents Lauren with the Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award from the United States Basketball Writers Association.

Nov. 6, 2014: Wheaties honors Lauren with a special commemorative box . ( http://www.wcpo.com/sports/lauren-hill-wheaties-box-honors-mount-st-joseph-basketball-player-for-being-champion )

Nov. 9, 2014: EA Sports NBA Live 15 releases a special Lauren Hill edition . ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/ea-sports-nba-live-15-releases-special-lauren-hill-edition )

Nov. 13, 2014: Lauren presents Cincinnati Children's Hospital with a check for $176,186 for cancer research from funds raised by Hill through The Cure Starts Now Foundation. ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/the-cure-starts-now-to-present-check-to-cincinnati-childrens-hospital )

Nov. 20, 2014: Glamour magazine names Lauren Hill one of its 50 most inspirational women . ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/glamour-magazine-picks-lauren-hill-among-50-most-inspirational-women )

Nov. 21, 2014: Lauren scores a basket in her second college game against Bethany College in a weekend tournament at Berea, Ohio, outside Cleveland. ( http://www.wcpo.com/sports/college-sports/lauren-hill-makes-another-basket-in-her-second-college-basketball-game )

Nov. 22, 2014: Lawrenceburg HS retires Lauren's No. 22 jersey. ( http://www.wcpo.com/sports/college-sports/lauren-hills-high-school-surprises-her-with-ceremony-to-honor-basketball-hero-with-brain-cancer )

Dec. 6, 2014: The Jimmy V Foundation donates $100,000 to cancer research in Lauren's name. ( http://www.wcpo.com/sports/college-sports/lauren-hill-basketball-heros-fundraising-efforts-get-100000-boost-from-jimmy-v-foundation )

Dec. 13, 2014: Lauren scores a basket in her first game on the Mount's Harrington Center home court against Franklin College. ( http://www.wcpo.com/sports/college-sports/lauren-hill-basketball-hero-with-cancer-hopes-to-play-in-first-campus-home-game-Saturday )

Dec. 16, 2014: Lauren decides to suit up one more time and scores a basket against the College of Wooster. She finishes her career with 10 points and thousands of fans and admirers. ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/lauren-hill-basketball-hero-with-brain-cancer-plays-last-game-for-mount-st-joseph-or-maybe-not )

Dec. 17, 2014: Mount coach Dan Benjamin announces that Lauren will remain with the team as honorary coach. ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/lauren-hill-basketball-hero-with-brain-cancer-plays-last-game-for-mount-st-joseph-or-maybe-not )

Dec. 25, 2014: Lauren celebrates Christmas with her family, defying the doctors who told her she wouldn't live to see the holiday.

Dec. 30, 2014: Lauren reaches her goal of raising $1 million for cancer research by year's end. ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/wcpo-helps-lauren-hill-try-to-reach-her-1-million-fundraising-goal-for-cancer-research )

Jan. 24, 2015: Lauren crowns her successor as basketball homecoming queen at Lawrenceburg HS. ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/region-indiana/lauren-hill-another-goal-met-as-homecoming-queen-crowns-her-successor )

Feb. 6. 2015: Mount St. Joseph awards Lauren an honorary doctorate. ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/lauren-hill-awarded-honorary-doctorate-from-mount-saint-joseph-university )

Feb. 24, 2015: In lieu of a team banquet, Lauren celebrates with teammates and coaches at a private, season-ending gathering at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Feb. 24, 2015: Ohio Gov. John Kasich announces that he is honoring Lauren with the Governor's Courage Award. ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/watch-gov-kasich-recognizes-work-determination-of-lauren-hill )

March 17, 2015: Lauren Hill does her final interview with WCPO . When Tanya O'Rourke asks how she wants to remembered, Lauren says, "She was a hero. She was a hero and she showed cancer who’s boss.” ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/lauren-hill-reveals-thoughts-hopes-fears-in-personal-interview-with-9-on-your-side_ )

March 20, 2015: Lauren is interviewed on ABC's "The View" by co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Rosie Perez. ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/watch-exclusive-preview-of-lauren-hill-on-the-view )

April 4, 2015: Lauren is honored at the Women's Final Four in recognition of winning the Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award. Her coach, Benjamin, represents her. ( http://www.wcpo.com/sports/college-sports/lauren-hill-honored-at-womens-final-four )

April 10, 2015: The Cure Starts Now announces Lauren Hill's death . ( http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/lauren-hill-family-confirms-hill-has-died )

Here are some ways you can help Lauren's cause:

⦁ Donate to ⦁ The Lauren Hill Tribute Fund at ⦁ The Cure Starts Now Foundation. It was created by Keith and Brooke Desserich, ⦁ a local couple who lost their 6-year-old daughter to DIPG. ( https://curestartsnow.z2systems.com/np/clients/curestartsnow/campaign.jsp?campaign=199& )

⦁ Buy T-shirts, jerseys and wristbands, sign up for Lauren's Layup4Lauren challenge or make a donation at ⦁ Layup4Lauren.org. ( http://layup4lauren.org/ )

⦁ You can read about Lauren on the ⦁ Lauren's Fight For Cure Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/laurensfightforcure ) or tweet or read messages about her at ⦁ #Layup4Lauren, ( https://twitter.com/hashtag/layup4lauren ) ⦁ #LayupForLauren, ( https://twitter.com/hashtag/layupforlauren ) and ⦁ #1More4Lauren (
https://twitter.com/hashtag/1More4Lauren?src=hash )

Lauren Hill's motto was "Never Give Up." She hoped to inspire kids suffering from her deadly brain cancer - and everyone, really - to follow her message, find hope in her example and live their lives to the fullest.

Like she did.


Thank you for your time.

Pacesetter