Never Give Up. Don’t Ever Give Up. – Jimmy Valvano
This week is dedicated to the Jimmy Valvano Cancer Research Foundation. This speech which he made back in 1993 at the ESPY awards, held by ESPN, was when he won the Arthur Ash award. His speech which lasted close to 10 minutes is still to this day one of the most inspiring, emotional, memorable speeches by a sports coach of all time. Every time I watch it I laugh, I smile, I think and I cry – things that he encourages everyone to do everyday to live a fulfilled and beautiful life.
When I used to watch this video it hit me, but never as much as it does when I watched it this year. My mom is battling lung cancer, stage 3, and watching someone I love so much deal with this horrible diseases, makes his words hit home even more. I hope that someday there is a cure for this illness, so that people we love do not leave us too soon because of cancer. Jimmy Valvano lost his battle, but his legacy lives on through his words. I hope that if you have some time to watch and money to donate you are moved to do that as well – for those of us who have someone battling cancer, or for someone that you know who may one day sadly get it, at least we will be closer to a cure.
Jimmy Valvano’s 1993 ESPY Speech. “Don’t give up . . . Don’t ever give up.”®
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, The Foundation has raised more than $115 million to fund cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all new direct cash donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs. The Foundation awards grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Advisory Board. For more information on The V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org.
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