STATESBORO, Ga. – One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lives. Â
One in eight.
Fans are asked to wear pink to Saturday's basketball doubleheader against ULM as Georgia Southern "Packs the House in Pink" to raise awareness as well as honor the memory of those lives lost from breast cancer.
The Eagle women's basketball program has not gone untouched by this horrific disease. Freshman Jakayvea Akin's mother, Shandrea W. Scott, lost her battle with breast cancer in October of 2012.
What follows is Jakayvea's reflection: Â In her own words.
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My mother Shandrea W. Scott was the most loving, caring, and joyful person I've ever met and had in my life. Â She was the type of woman who would joke around with you, but when it was time to get serious, she was all about her business. Â
My mother was the one who always wanted to see me succeed, so she was very hard on me in school and made sure I had my work done. Â I could never end up with anything lower than A-B Honor Roll.Â
My mother was real big on respect, her favorite line was, "You won't ever get anywhere without respect, you have to give respect to earn respect." Â
I started playing outdoor basketball at the age of 6 and have been in love with it ever since then. Â My mother was my #1 fan on and off the court. Â I always talked about how I wanted to become a professional basketball player when I got older, and she would always look me right into my eyes and say, "You can do it baby! Â I believe in you!" and then she would give me a big hug. Â The way that my mother encouraged me about my dreams, I have no doubt in my mind that I won't make it.
At the age of 37, on Oct. 28, 2012, my mother passed away from Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Â
Not a day in my life did I ever think that I'd lose my mom.
Dealing with my mother's death was not an easy task – I felt alone and empty inside.  There were a lot of sleepless nights, and I started beginning to think that I wasn't going to be able to make it without my mother here on Earth with me to guide me.  As months went by, I kept telling myself that this was all a dream.  I was in total disbelief about my mom's death.Â
My mother's death does nothing but make me go harder at what I do. Â Every time I feel down, or feel like I can't do it, I always picture my mom. Â Hearing her voice in my head saying, "Make em' believe what they THINK you can't do." Every time I step on the court, I give my all.
All I ever wanted to do was make her happy. Â Like any other college athlete, I'm slowly finding my way in life, but there is one big difference.
I'm doing so without one of my biggest cheerleaders.
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Akins signed with the Eagles in November of 2013 and is going through the typical ups and downs of a college freshman competing in her first season. Georgia Southern women's basketball coach Chris Vozab loves the passion and energy she brings to the team.
"Jakayvea is really everything that we want our program to be about," said Vozab. Â "She has great passion, not just for basketball, but for being her best at all she does. Â Her enthusiasm for what she's doing is apparent and so is her will to get better. Â She's such a good teammate, and the energy that they get just from being around Jakayvea is a special thing to watch."
Akins and her teammates will take the floor at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the 10th Annual Pack the House in Pink event. Pack the House in Pink began in 2004 in honor of the late Kathy Brunson, who was a local Phi Mu alumnus who died of breast cancer. She was also a member of the Statesboro Service League. During the games, Georgia Southern will honor her, breast cancer survivors and all those affected by breast cancer.
The first 500 students in attendance will receive a free pink rally towel, courtesy of The Hamptons, and the Zeta Tau Alpha and Phi Mu sororities will be decorating Hanner Fieldhouse in pink. The sororities will be handing out pink lemonade, ribbons and cards to fans as they enter. The Statesboro-Bulloch County Breast Cancer Foundation and the Statesboro Service League will be in attendance, and there will be a special presentation at halftime of both games in support of Breast Cancer Awareness and Education. | An Effort to Raise Awareness
Saturday's 10th Annual Pack the House in Pink event will hold a special place in the heart of junior forward Kelsey Corcoran. Her mother, Lynn, was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer and had surgery in July of 2013.
Kelsey says her mom is progressing well and doctors say that if there are no issues through 2018, Lynn will be considered a cancer survivor. For Kelsey, Pack the House in Pink is about opening a dialogue about breast cancer.
"It's not just a basketball game and it's not just Pink Day, it's thinking about my Mom," said Kelsey. "It brings more awareness and allows people to be able to talk about it." |
