Don’t Ever Give Up!
The 9th annual Jimmy V Week, for cancer research, kicks off today (December 2, 2015). This weeklong initiative across multiple ESPN platforms and programs features special content to help raise funds for cancer research. (Editors note: Clara…save the date).
For those of you that don’t know who Jimmy Valvano is…you can read all about his life here. There was also a great ESPN Films 30 for 30 (imagine that) about Valvano and his North Carolina State Wolfpack team that won the 1983 NCAA National Championship titled…Survive and Advance.
Valvano is probably known to most for the courageous speech that he gave at the 1993 ESPY Awards while accepting the inaugural Arthur Ashe Courage Award (let’s just not talk about the 2015 winner at this time). It was during that speech, that Valvano announced the creation of The V Foundation for Cancer Research. I used to show Valvano’s speech to my freshman health students when we talked about setting goals (it was actually quite moving to most 14 and 15 year olds…that think they know all there is to know about life).
So today, with the tragedy taking place in San Bernardino, CA (when is this nonsense going to stop)…take the time to watch Jimmy V’s speech and if you have some extra time…check out Stuart Scott’s speech from when he accepted the 2014 Jimmy V Perseverance Award. Easily, two of the greatest speeches ever and great examples of how we all should lead our lives…because you never know when your time will be up.