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Last week I watched the 2024 version of Jimmy V Week that showcases some of the best basketball teams across the country to raise money for the V Foundation to support cancer research and cures. As usual, Coach Jimmy Valvano’s speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards, given while accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award, was shown.

If you have never heard it, you should take the time to look it up and watch. It is one of the most passionate, emotional and moving talks I have ever heard. This month I revisit an article I wrote in January 2018 after watching that year’s Jimmy V Week. Also, as I did seven years ago, I honor the life and courage of Jackson Conway, a very remarkable young man.

Coach Valvano was a former Head Basketball Coach who won an NCAA National Championship at North Carolina State in 1983. However, in 1993, he was in the final stages of his battle with bone cancer. Despite being close to death, he was still engaged with raising money for cancer research.

He had to be assisted to the podium by his two close friends, Dick Vitale and Mike Krzyzewski. However, at the podium, Coach Valvano came to life and was full of energy and passion saying, “I am fighting cancer. Time is very precious to me. I don’t know how much I have left, and I have some things that I would like to say.”

He told the ESPY Awards gathering, “There are three things we all should do every day. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears — could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”

Coach Valvano talked about the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research and the importance of raising money for cancer research. He said of the help you give, “It may not save my life. It may save my children’s lives. It may save someone you love. The Foundation’s motto is ‘Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.’ That’s what I’m going to try to do every minute that I have left.”

Finally, in leaving the stage, He said, “I gotta go, and I got one last thing and I said it before, and I want to say it again. Cancer can take away all my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever.”

Cancer took Coach Valvano two weeks later. There are many memorable speeches, but every so often there is a speech in the most extraordinary of circumstances that stands the test of time — a speech that continues to move people to tears and motivates them in ways they had never imagined. A speech that stays with you forever. Coach Valvano’s speech is one of those.

In December 2017, I had the honor to first meet Jackson Conway. He was from Evergreen, Alabama, was fourteen years old, at that time a freshman at Sparta Academy, played all sports, liked hunting and fishing, was an avid Alabama football fan, and had cancer.

His cancer was diagnosed as Ewing sarcoma with a tumor on his jawbone and deposits in his lungs. We flew Jackson and his family to M.D. Anderson in Houston for treatments. Doctors removed the tumor and a large section of his right jawbone. They replaced his jawbone with a bone graft from his right lower leg, which left him with a terrible scar and in a walking boot.  They also took his lower right teeth and left him with a scar under his right jaw.

He was a very likable, handsome and intelligent young man. A young man that could just as easily could have been mine or yours, instead of Kristy and Terry Conway’s. He was upbeat about his situation. He talked about playing sports and deer hunting.

He talked about his recent trip to Tuscaloosa, attending an Alabama football practice, spending time with the players, meeting Coach Saban, hanging out in Coach Saban’s office, and trying on his practice hat. He gave the players wristbands that had his name and favorite bible verse, Jeremiah 29:11. Some of the players, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, wore Jackson’s wristbands in the game against Mercer that November. They sent him messages of encouragement.

Through his treatment, Jackson was a rock of faith. He told his family, “I know I am going to be ok. Don’t worry, I am going to win this.” Jackson followed Coach Valvano’s call. He never gave up. He never quit. Jackson did all he could to help the rest of us to believe.

However, God brought Jackson home on March 8, 2021 after a long hard fight without surrendering. Jimmy Valvano lost his life, and Jackson Conway’s life was lost, too. But, another person or another child’s life may still be saved. There are still thousands of people with cancer with long, hard fights in front of them. A contribution to the V Foundation is a good start. All proceeds go to cancer research and treatment.

I hope you have a good month and hope you will never give up.