Terps Host Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Breakfast
11/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland and Maryland men's basketball head coach Mark Turgeon hosted the Coaches vs. Cancer Season Tip-Off Breakfast Tuesday morning in conjunction with the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
The Coaches vs. Cancer program was created in 1993 by the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The program exists to leverage the strength, community leadership and celebrity of our country's basketball coaches to fight cancer.
Joining Turgeon as speakers were Dr. Ray Lenhard, Professor Emeritus of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Cheryl Holt, Associate Professor & Co-Director of the Center for Health Behavior Research with the University of Maryland School of Public Health and cancer survivor Jake Rolle.
Lenhard credited both coaches and student-athletes for their ability to positively influence young people affected by cancer and other illnesses while Holt delivered the benefits of early detection and living a healthy lifestyle.
“Coaches bring an important message because youngsters look up to them as leaders and role models,” Lenhard said.
“It is so important to help spread the word of finding cancer through early detection via our social networks and the other people in our lives,” Holt said.
A sophomore at Georgetown Prep, Rolle was diagnosed with brain cancer when he was 10 years old.
“When I found out I had cancer, I felt scared. I didn't want to die,” Rolle, the grandson of the Voice of the Terrapins Johnny Holliday, said. “Cancer changes your view on everything. I set out to make the varsity golf team as a freshman. It was a lofty goal but I felt like if I could beat cancer, I could do anything I set my mind to.”
Rolle not only made the varsity golf team with the second-best average during tryouts, he celebrated the fifth anniversary of his last round of radiation just yesterday.
Turgeon engaged with those in attendance in a packed Heritage Hall Tuesday morning, including John and Christine Lederer, the parents of Zach Lederer, a former Maryland men's basketball manager who lost a heroic battle with brain cancer in March, and members of the Rolle family.
“This is a tremendous group and we appreciate all of the support for this very important initiative,” Turgeon said. “We need to do everything we can to raise awareness and share more successful stories about brave and courageous survivors like Jack Rolle.”
The Coaches vs. Cancer breakfast at the University of Maryland was started in 2002 by Gary Dando, who worked with former head coach Gary Williams. Since its inception 12 years ago, over $430,000 has been raised for the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs. Cancer program.
