"There is a lot of misinformation out there about [breast cancer]," Delaney-Smith said.
By making her own situation public, Delaney-Smith has hoped to help dispel many of those common myths about the disease that once evoked fear in her.
As a person in the public eye, Delaney-Smith has always been happy to volunteer her time for a variety of American Cancer Society fundraisers, including events such as the Relay for Life, Strides for Breast Cancer and even a fashion show.
"The American Cancer Society is a wonderful, aggressive organization," Delaney-Smith said. "They stay in touch with me, and because I am in a public position, I can serve a purpose for them."
For a coach who led the Crimson to the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history when her 16th-seeded Harvard squad toppled top seed Stanford in 1998, cancer, too, has proven to be no match for her strength of spirit.
"I am one of those persons who believes that you're dealt what you can handle," Delaney-Smith said.
But, in retrospect, knowing that she might have been able to conceal her cancer, would she have still decided to make her condition public?
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