The Extraordinary Lauren Hill, Who Made a Difference
On Nov. 11, 2013, Lauren Hill, 18. of Lawrenceburg, Indiana, received the worst news that any teen could ever have possibly received. She was handed a death sentence, as she was diagnosed with DIPG, an inoperable brain cancer.
When Lauren received the news she said, "I remember being shocked, but my parents were really sick to their stomachs." Lauren asked her parents, "How are you guys going to help, and what are we going to do to stop this tumor, and how are we going to slow it down? When they say that it’s inoperable and there’s nothing they can do about it, it really hits you, and it hits home. It’s kind of like just standing there and have the rug pulled out from underneath your feet and slamming you against the ground and being left breathless." The news did not keep Lauren down.
She decided to do something positive with the remaining few weeks of her life. She started a fundraising for research into DIPG, which claims the lives of more than 90 percent of its child victims within 18 months of diagnosis. Lauren also supported her team and played her first game for Mount St. Joseph in early November, of 2014, a lifelong dream. Lauren played two more games so she could be a voice for those children suffering with the same thing, cancer with a death sentence.
On Dec. 15, 2014, Cincinnati mayor John Cranley read to Lauren a proclamation: "Be it proclaimed that Lauren Hill was an inspiring basketball player with Lawrenceburg High School with dreams of playing in college, and as we all know, was diagnosed with DIPG, a rare and inoperable brain cancer. And now, Lauren, 19, has faced her illness with courage and perseverance beyond her years, serving as an inspiration and a role model for people across the Tri-State and around the world. Because of Lauren efforts, she raised over one million dollars for the Cure Starts Now Foundation." Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley announced that Dec. 15 will be known as "Lauren Hill Day" in Cincinnati. Lauren received a standing ovation.
Lauren compared her life with basketball. She said she was "playing to the final buzzer, not worrying about the last play or the play that's coming... all we have is the moment we have right now." And she played it well! She also continually reminded people that she will not give up!
Lauren's story reminds me of 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. and God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it." Lauren's escape was reaching out to others.
Lauren has faced her illness with courage and perseverance by reaching out of herself to help others even on days she did not feel like it. And she does this with a pain pump inserted, so that she can release medication every seven minutes, yet she still goes on! She is just an ordinary person who has made an extraordinary difference!
May we all be like the incredible Lauren Hills, and meet our trials head on with courage, knowing that God will see us through it! Let us all work to be extraordinary examples as Lauren Hill was to the city of Cincinnati and around the world. Even through the worst of trials, we can make a difference!
See more at http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/student-with-terminal-cancer-plays-college-basketball-with-team.
Course Content
Janet Treadway
Janet Treadway was born in Washington, D.C., but was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. She started attending the Church of God with her mother at the age of 14 along with her twin brother, Jim.
She was baptized at the age of 19 in 1974. She has been involved in various activities, such as serving as the managing editor of UCG’s first teen magazine UsTeens, which was distributed worldwide and published in English and Spanish.
Janet’s first love is writing. She has contributed many articles in various publications such as Vertical Thought, Virtual Christian Magazine, United News and others. Her article “Take Action, Your Life May Depend on It” is also featured in the reprint “The Cycle of Abuse.” Janet draws from her own life’s experiences and challenges when she writes and is motivated to give readers hope that God will see them through anything.
Janet has worked in the home office of the United Church of God since 1998. She is married to Charles Treadway and has four children, David, Michelle, Michael and Josh, as well as six grandchildren and two granddogs, Jo Jo and Vinny.
