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Tag: terminal illness

  • Lauren Hill’s Cancer Worsens, Now In Hospice

    Lauren Hill, the 19-year-old freshman from Cincinnati who inspired millions when she played in a Division III basketball game with Mount St. Joseph despite her ongoing bouts against cancer, was entered into hospice care due to complications related to her brain tumor.

    On the Lauren’s Fight for Cure Facebook page, Hill’s family posted an entry last Monday that shed light on the current condition of the young basketballer. “We are excited to have additional resources coming to our home. We have already been able to get supplies to help make things easier here at home,” the post read.

    The family said that Hill has been “in good spirits” during the week and that she keeps busy by getting involved in special projects. The teenager was previously spotted at a game against Bethany College last Nov. 21 where the player received a rousing cheer from the crowd after she scored a layup against the competing team.

    “Today is another battle,” said the teen in the opening moments of her recent short documentary on ESPN.com. “Sometimes I’m winning, sometimes I won’t admit that I’m losing, but it’s a constant struggle.” Hill’s family reports that she’s experiencing severe symptoms from her inoperable cancer. Hill continues to endure headaches, dizziness, and general lack of energy, but the teenager works hard to be in a “funny, goofy mood.”

    Hill made headlines after raising more than $324,000 for cancer research and treatment. Fans of the inspiring basketball player are hopeful that she stays alive and healthy even after the doctors told her that she is not expected to live beyond December. November 2 was a monumental day for the teen as she hit the court to play for her college team. Despite her serious condition, Hill was all smiles and was full of energy throughout the course of the game, making her a beacon of hope for those struggling with the same illness.

  • Vernita Gray, LGBT Champion, Dies At 65 Of Breast Cancer

    Vernita Gray, a known advocate for LGBT rights, died on Tuesday at her home in Edgewater, Chicago, after succumbing to breast cancer. Gray had been battling cancer since 1996, and had several recurrences through the years. She was 65.

    Gray is known for being half of Illinois’ first same-sex couple to exchange marriage vows when she married Patricia Ewert in November last year. A federal judge hastened the couple’s marriage license because of Gray’s condition.

    As a result, additional court rulings expedited same-sex marriage in Illinois ahead of the planned June 1, 2014 implementation.

    “She changed the world. She made it a better place,” said Ewert. “She was always happy, always positive.”

    Gray was also a leading advocate for LGBT rights since the late 60’s. She came out after Woodstock in 1969, after learning of the Stonewall riots. Soon, she organized a gay and lesbian hotline at her home, and support groups for youth who were rejected by their families. The phone rang so much that she would leave her apartment just to get peace of mind.

    Gray and Ewert met on an all-women’s cruise during Pride Month in 2009. They were engaged in the same year. The couple wed at their Chicago home on November 27 and had their honeymoon in Ixtapa, Mexico.

    The couple received a congratulatory letter from President Obama, saying, “A love like yours is truly something to treasure.”

    “Vernita Gray was an inspiration to all who crossed her path, from President Obama who knew her by name to the victims of violence she comforted and the young people for whom she was a fierce advocate,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

    A memorial service is being planned. According to family, donations should be made to Affinity Community Services, Broadway Youth Center at Howard Brown, or Center on Halsted.

    Vernita Gray Speaks At Illinois Marriage Equality March


    Image via YouTube