With an Inoperable Brain Tumor and Only Months to Live, Basketball Player Sees One Big Dream Come True

CINCINNATI (TheBlaze/AP) — In between making two layups that brought a packed arena to its feet, Lauren Hill spent much of this inspiring game sitting on the bench wearing sunglasses and headphones.

While the bright gym and roar of the crowd are still special to Hill, an inoperable brain tumor has made her extremely sensitive to stimuli that her teammates and opponents take for granted.

Lauren Hill (right, #22) of Mount St. Joseph waves during the game against Hiram at Cintas Center on November 2, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hill, a freshman, has terminal cancer and this game was granted a special waiver by the NCAA to start the season early so she could play in a game. (Image source: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

With just months to live, the freshman forward for Division III Mount St. Joseph's had dreamed of suiting up for Sunday's game — which turned out to be a 66-55 victory over Hiram College.

Hill made an uncontested left-handed layup for the opening basket. (The tumor affects her coordination, forcing the right-hander to shoot with her left hand.)

She returned later with 26.5 seconds remaining in the contest to sink a right-handed layup for the game's final basket.

Lauren Hill of Mount St. Joseph shoots to score her second basket during the game against Hiram at Cintas Center on November 2, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Image source: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

"Today has been the best day I've ever had," Hill said after receiving an award after the game, which the NCAA allowed to be moved up two weeks because of the urgency of Hill's condition.

Her shots brought standing ovations from a sellout crowd at Xavier University's 10,000-seat arena, which sold out tickets for the game within a day, ESPN reported. They were among many emotional moments for Hill as she received love and support upon walking out for warmups. Her audience included former Tennessee women's coach Pat Summitt and several WNBA players including Elena Della Donne, Tamika Catchings and Skylar Diggins.

Moved by the reactions — especially after receiving the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's Pat Summitt most courageous award normally awarded at the Final Four — Hill said of the disease, "we're gonna fight this."

Hill was diagnosed brain cancer her senior year of high school after she decided to attend Mount St. Joseph. Her determination to play while raising awareness about pediatric cancer has resulted in a fan base that goes far beyond the school located on the outskirts of Cincinnati.

Lauren Hill of Mount St. Joseph is introduced before the game against Hiram at Cintas Center on November 2, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Image source: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The 19-year-old Lawrenceburg, Indiana, native's fight has led to an outpouring of nationwide support. Teams and players have signed and sent No. 22 jerseys to Hill, including 15 from high schools that draped the backs of the Lions' bench.

Hill started an online layup challenge that involves spinning around five times and shooting a layup with the non-dominant hand. Similar to this summer's ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that became a social media phenomenon, the fundraising campaign (#Layup4Lauren) has drawn Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and other athletes.

The Bengals showed a video of her layup during a timeout. Defensive tackle Devon Still — whose daughter, Leah, 4, is also being treated for cancer — wore Hill's name on his eye black; Whitworth had the No. 22 on his gloves.

A series of videos were shown with teams meeting the challenge — with missed layups — and challenging others.

Fundraising by The Cure Starts Now Foundation totaled more than $40,000.

Lauren Hildebrand and daughter Allie, a Lawrenceburg High School sophomore, were among 3,000 from the town who got tickets, including the school's pep band. Allie Hildebrand was Hill's "little sister" during the player's senior year and said handling her friend's illness was difficult.

"You can't cry in front of her," Hildebrand said. "You don't want to get upset in front of her. That makes her upset."

Tears were conspicuously absent on an upbeat day that celebrated Hill's perseverance.

Mount St. Joseph's Lauren Hill laughs with a teammate before her first NCAA college basketball game against Hiram University at Xavier University in Cincinnati on Sunday, Nov 2, 2014. The NCAA allowed Mount St. Joseph's season opener to be moved up to Nov. 2, so that Hill, who has an inoperable brain tumor, could play in a college basketball game. (Image source: AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)

Smiling upon entering the floor for warmups, Hill's mood lifted the spirits of several children enduring various forms of cancer. That included Cynthia Towne, 11, who undergoes periodic chemotherapy for a less-aggressive form of cancer first diagnosed at 4.

The little girl from Cincinnati grinned widely as she gave Hill a specially-made headband sporting the word "Believe" with a yellow ribbon in the middle. Encouraged by recent diagnoses for her daughter, Katie Towne said Sunday was nonetheless bittersweet.

"I'm happy for the joy of her getting her wish coming true, not only for raising awareness but also for being able to play in this game," Towne said. "But there's also sadness knowing that how much awareness she brings right now, she won't get to reap the benefits personally.

"That's what's amazing," Towne added. "She did this, knowing that."