[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 14, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    LAUREN HILL--PROFILE IN COURAGE

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 14, 2015

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, athlete, student, daughter, friend, 
fighter and hero--this was Lauren Hill. At just 19 years old, Lauren 
fought the beast of cancer on the basketball court as the world 
watched. As everyone scrambled and stressed filling out their March 
Madness brackets, hoping to have the perfect bracket, Lauren was 
battling a brain tumor.
  Lauren was a freshman basketball player at Mount St. Joseph 
University in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was a high school student when she 
was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. But Lauren wasn't going 
to let a tumor stop her.
  She set off to college to achieve her dream: to play on a college 
court. And of course, she did it.
  The NCAA allowed Mount St. Joseph move up its opening game so that 
Lauren could play.
  Xavier University even offered their arena so more people could come 
watch her shoot some hoops. Tickets to the game sold out in less than 
an hour. 10,000 people came to watch Lauren doing what she loves--play 
basketball. Among the 10,000 was legendary Tennessee Women's Basketball 
Coach Pat Summitt and some notable WNBA players.
  Because the tumor had so aggressively attacked the right side of her 
body, her dominant side, Lauren shot a left-handed layup just 17 
seconds into the game. And by no surprise, she made it. But she was not 
quite done.
  She made the last basket of the game. This time, she shot the layup 
with her right hand. One can only imagine what it was like in the arena 
that day. The spectators were able to watch such a strong soul and 
example be able to live her dream in spite of her illness. Tears and 
smiles filled the arena.
  When she wasn't on the court, Lauren worked to raise awareness and 
money for cancer research through her nonprofit foundation.
  She never let the disease define her, because she was Lauren, a 
college basketball player, who was just doing what she loved. In 
watching her strength, she has given so many hope--hope that even in 
the midst of a battle for life, there is faith.
  As a father of four kids (three of them being girls), and a 
grandfather of 11 kids (7 of them being girls), I know how special our 
girls are. Lauren Hill definitely left an impression not only on her 
team and school community, but the rest of us as well.
  Thank you Lauren, for so selflessly sharing your story with the 
world. Thank you for inspiring and encouraging all of us.
  President Kennedy would have referred to Lauren Hill as a ``profile 
in courage.''
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________