Jill Costello

I haven't posted on consecutive days since I created this blog. However, today, I was reminded of something that really hits home with me. It's a little off-topic, but I would be remiss if I failed to share it.

Jill Costello, a 22-year-old Cal Women's Crew coxswain--a classmate of mine and fellow rower at Berkeley--was diagnosed with stage-4 lung cancer on June 9 of last year, and passed away on June 24 of this year. Through her fight with cancer, the last year of her life was spent inspiring thousands of people by speaking at a campus luncheon (where she was named Cal's most inspirational athlete), winning a Pac-10 championship for her team (she was later named Pac-10 Athlete of the Year), and setting an audacious fund-raising goal that was recently exceeded.

This Sunday, September 12, the second annual Jog for Jill will be held at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. If you are in the area and have time, I ask you to jog and donate in her honor. I also hope (and expect) that there won't be a lit cigarette anywhere near this event, which leads me to my rationale for sharing this story:

Jill never smoked. Given her age and background, it is highly unlikely that secondhand smoke was the primary cause of her cancer. Even so, whatever secondhand smoke she was exposed to during her life could have exacerbated her condition. This thought not only saddens me, but it angers me; it reinforces my passion for smoke-free advocacy. Although I never had the privilege of knowing Jill, I know that many others are similarly motivated by her courage and efforts.

Rest in peace, Jill. Your life will continue to inspire those of us determined to prevent lung cancer and discover its cure.