Leah Still’s battle with pediatric cancer and the way her father, Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still, has striven to support her while carrying on his career as a professional athlete has been one of the more moving and inspiring sports stories of the past year. So, it’s no surprise that Leah was honored with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award by ESPN.
While the story of Leah’s fight against the disease has generally been a positive one, the 5-year-old suffered a setback in recent months. In late March, her father announced on Instagram that her cancer, the diagnosis of which in 2014 only gave her a 50/50 chance to live, was officially in remission. Unfortunately, there was a complication in the stem-cell transplant procedure that was to get her immune system back to normal. That required another 49 days in the hospital for a series of post-cancer treatments.
Devon Still will accept the Jimmy V Perseverance Award for his daughter Leah tomorrow at the ESPYs. Doctors requested she stay in Philly
— Kevin Negandhi (@KNegandhiESPN) July 14, 2015
While Leah is no longer staying at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, doctors have recommended that she not travel to Los Angeles for the award show. Instead, her father will accept the award on her behalf.
(Via ESPN)
