Before the disease was discovered in Delaney-Smith, no woman in her family had ever been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Toughing it Out
After the chemotherapy, Delaney-Smith went for radiation treatments five days a week for seven weeks. The whole process was incredibly taxing on her body, but despite frequent fatigue, Delaney-Smith was patrolling the sidelines at every Harvard game and nearly every practice.
For her remarkable efforts, Delaney-Smith was honored as the recipient of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Carol Eckman Award at the conclusion of last season.
"My intent was to continue coaching through [the illness], and I was able to do that," Delaney-Smith said. "There are a lot of days when you don't feel that good. But your choice is to go home and feel bad or be at a job that you love and get through it."
The coach did not even let her illness limit her recruiting efforts, as evidenced by the outstanding crop of freshmen Delaney-Smith has ushered in this season.
"I did go on the road and I did everything I thought I was supposed to," Delaney-Smith said.
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