22
Joined: 31 Mar 2015 Posts: 102
Back to top |
Posted: 12/06/16 11:59 pm ::: Cal Player's Fight Against Breast Cancer |
Reply |
|
This letter was posted on the Cal WBB message board.... hoping the larger WBB community extends beyond school affiliations and rivalries when it matters most:
Dear Cal Family,
Many of you will remember Rama N’diaye, a member of our Cal Women’s Basketball team from 2006-2011. Rama, a native of Dakar, Senegal, crossed the globe to join the Cal Family in the Fall of 2006. She embarked on a 5 year career for the Golden Bears which saw her teams make 3 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, a Sweet 16 appearance, and a WNIT Championship.
In the summer of 2007, she was a member of the Senegalese National Team before sustaining a significant knee injury in March of 2008. That summer, she led her Cal team on an international team trip to Tunisia and Senegal, where she was able to introduce her Bear family to her immediate and extended Senegalese family and friends. Despite not being able to play due to her knee injury, she served as our very own personal tour guide, exposing her teammates, coaches and staff to the amazing traditions and culture of Africa. It was a life changing trip for everyone involved.
As a testament to Rama’s sheer will and determination, she was able to return to the court following her injury and compete in her final season in Berkeley in 2010-2011. Rama then went on to play professional basketball for three seasons in Iran, Spain, and Turkey. Since her retirement in 2014, Rama has been living and working in San Diego.
Unfortunately, in July, 2016 she was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer at the young age of 29. She is currently undergoing aggressive treatment at The Moore Cancer Center through UC San Diego, where she is proving to be a worthy opponent in the fight against this disease. As a result of the side effects of her treatments, Rama has not been able to consistently work and therefore has sustained significant financial hardship. It is our goal as a Cal Family to help support Rama in her fight against Breast Cancer emotionally, spiritually and financially.
As a result, we are introducing Rebounds for Rama to allow our extended Cal Family to participate in that end goal, once again proving that our support extends well beyond the hardwood. Donations may be made based on the number of total rebounds that the current Cal team secures over the course of this season or as a flat rate. You will be able to show support at www.pledgeit.org/ReboundsForRama. Should you have any questions, please contact our Director of Operations, Jill Culbertson, at 510-643-3787.
Your support of Rama as she continues her fight to beat Breast Cancer is truly appreciated. We plan to have her in attendance for our Play4Kay game on February 12th when we play Colorado, as long as she is able to make the trip. Coach Boyle and I began recruiting Rama when she was just 17 years old, and made a promise that we would be a part of her life long after basketball. I plan to join the group in pledging for the Rebounds for Rama campaign, and then I will encourage our team to rebound like heck every game! Once a Bear, always a Bear.
Go Bears,
Lindsay Gottlieb
www.pledgeit.org/ReboundsForRama
|
|