It is not everyday that you hear about a person winning a battle against cancer over a period as long as seven years. However, ESPN anchor Scott Stuart has just managed to do that and he was rightfully honored with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPY Awards 2014 ceremony last Wednesday.
Popular TV personality Kiefer Sutherland gave away the award to Scott. After receiving the award from the 24 star, he gave a stirring speech that left the audience wanting for more. During his speech, the popular sportscaster cited the story of Jim Valvano, the former basketball coach of the North Carolina State University who was diagnosed with bone cancer and died in the year 1993. It was his speech at the inaugural ESPY awards that led to the creation of The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Scott told the audience that to be honored with this award will make him even more responsible to not give up the fight.
He also gave credit to all the people around him including the doctors and nurses as well as his family who were also responsible for making him believe that he could overcome the weakness and fought with him. He described how he had undergone four surgeries in just seven days. A video was shown before his speech that documented his road to recovery and back to work as an anchor.
Scott reiterated that when you die, you do not really lose the battle against the disease, but you beat it by the way you live. As he concluded his speech, he called his younger daughter to join him onstage. He finally closed his speech with the words- “Have a great rest of your night and have a great rest of your life.”
This truly inspirational story of Stuart Scott can surely help the numerous cancer patients around the world on how to live their life even if the odds are totally stacked against you.