THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS FOR THE LOBO FAMILY

It is with a heavy heart that I pass along my thoughts and prayers to Rebecca Lobo and her family.  Rebecca's mother, RuthAnn lost her battle with breast cancer today. 

She was diagnosed in 1995 while Rebecca was still playing at UConn.  The thing I remember and respect the most was the fact that she and Rebecca took their opponent head on.  RuthAnn became a tremendous advocate for the fight against breast cancer much as did Sherie Starkey, the wife of my coach at LSU.  Both RuthAnn and Rebecca wrote a book, "Home Team" to talk in part about their fight against breast cancer.

She also received many awards such as the Maria Miller Stewart Award for mentoring young girls and boys and advocating equality for girls in education, and the Susan G. Komen Award, Connecticut Chapter. The award has since been renamed the Komen RuthAnn Lobo Award in her honor.

And, just as my grandmother, she was a long-time educator, and was actually a finalist for Connecticut Teacher of the Year.

I hope that you will join me in keeping the Lobo's in our prayers -- and even more importantly we must continue to work hard to defeat breast cancer.  It has been a big part of my HOPE Foundation and will continue to be -- and from this point on, I will consider RuthAnn Lobo are coach in heaven!

http://www.wnba.com/bha/bha_2003.html