AUTLIVE: Women's basketball's Lynn Stevenson outlives cancer

AUBURN, Ala. – From the fifth row of Auburn Arena, Lynn Stevenson watches Austin Wiley, her former teammate’s son, practice free throws. 

Hanging from the top of the arena, a trio of NCAA Women’s Final Four banners descend. Stevenson played for Auburn on all three of those national runner-up teams, in 1988, 1989 and 1990. Vickie Orr, Wiley’s mother, starred on the first two. 

“I feel proud,” said Stevenson, a guard on Joe Ciampi’s teams from 1986-91. “I feel very fortunate that I was able to be a part of that. I can’t believe it’s been 30 years. We’re sitting here right now watching Austin, and I played with his mom. That’s pretty cool. To see my teammates up there with their numbers retired, that’s pretty cool, too.” 

In the four seasons Stevenson played for the Tigers, Auburn never lost at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. 

“Being a part of the team teaches you teamwork,” she said. “It teaches you self-discipline. I remember Coach Ciampi always saying, ‘Self-discipline is doing what you don’t want to do, when you don’t want to do it; but you do it, and you do it the best you can.’” 

Stevenson, the executive director of experiential programs and an associate clinical professor within Auburn University’s Harrison School of Pharmacy, joined the faculty at her alma mater in 2007. 

The knee injury that caused Stevenson to redshirt during the 1986-87 season eventually ended her recreational basketball career, leaving golf as her preferred athletic pastime.  

For 18 years, Lynn has played in a tournament that benefits women with cancer.  

“If you’ve never had cancer, you go to these events and you say it’s a good thing, but when you’ve actually had it, it just means a little bit more,” she said.  

A year ago, a routine mammogram revealed a lump. A biopsy confirmed its malignancy. 

“To actually hear the doctor say, ‘You have cancer,’ I felt like I was punched in the gut that day,” she said. “It takes your breath away.”  

Treatment consumed much of 2019. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, medication. Stevenson’s oncologist estimated the chance of recurrence at 10 percent.  

“It’s been a whirlwind year and I hope 2020’s better,” she said. 

AUTLIVE

 

When basketball fans pack Auburn Arena Saturday for the Kentucky game, they’ll see thousands of AUTLIVE t-shirts. 

Sunday’s women’s basketball game against Vanderbilt is the Pink Game, supporting breast cancer awareness and survivors.

Men’s baskettball coach Bruce Pearl created AUTLIVE, Auburn basketball’s fight against cancer, when one of his star players at Tennessee survived cancer.

“It’s a way for us to be able to support our community, create awareness, raise some money,” Pearl said. “We are passionate about it.”

“These types of events are really important to get people thinking about it,” Stevenson said. “The treatments, specifically for breast cancer, have really improved in recent years.”

Like Pearl, Stevenson emphasizes the importance of early detection.

“If you have something going on, catching it early is obviously in your best interest,” she said. “If you catch it early, then you have an opportunity for a more successful treatment.” 

On Jan. 25, the anniversary of her diagnosis, Stevenson posted a Facebook message thanking her family and friends for their support during her cancer fight.

“I don’t know how I could’ve gotten through it without them,” she said. “Having a support system is very important, maybe as important as having good treatment.” 

Lynn Stevenson will be watching lots of Auburn basketball this weekend. On Saturday, when her teammate’s son tries to take down Big Blue, and on Sunday, when the women’s team wears pink to support a cause she always supported but now embraces from a survivor’s perspective. 

“Get out there and get those mammograms done,” she said. “I know they’re not fun. Fortunately, I was pretty good about getting my annual screening done. If folks are having a hard time getting those screenings done, there are resources in the community that can help. 

“It can happen to anybody. You go through life and you think it’s not going to happen to me, but it can. You just need to give yourself the best opportunity by early detection and treatment.” 

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer