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Billiard legend Jeanette Lee has been diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer, according to the American Poolplayers Association. Known as “Black Widow,” the 49-year-old mother of three. is revered as one of the best pool players of all time.
“I intend to bring the same resolution that I brought to the pool table for this fight,” Lee said in a statement on Wednesday. “Jim Valvano told us so eloquently to never give up. I owe it to my three young daughters to do just that, ”she added, probably referring to the late college basketball coach who also had cancer and died in 1993.
Lee has been practicing pool shooting since 1989, reaching the top spot in the sport and winning over 30 national and international titles throughout his professional career.
Regarding her iconic nickname, she told ESPN, “It started at that pool hall in New York, the Howard Beach Billiard Club. The owner of the hall, this guy Gabe, said when I walked in in the room for the first time I was so mysterious and pretty and calm and no one knew who I was, then I walked over to the table and started hitting balls all over the place.
“From that point on, just to tease, he called me the Black Widow. It was just our little nickname, ”she recalls. “But then it came up once in an interview with The New York Times and, although it was supposed to be unofficial, they wrote about it. And once it was in the media, it took off.
According to the APA, an organization for which she has served as a spokesperson since 2009, Lee began chemotherapy and has scheduled a number of surgeries after her cancer diagnosis.
“At this point, her doctors say she has a few months to a year left to live,” says a GoFundMe page created by her family and friends. “Jeanette’s biggest and most urgent concern is the welfare of her three young daughters Cheyenne (16), Chloe (11) and Savannah (10). Jeanette has been a single mother for several years. The future care, well-being and education of her daughters is the biggest cause of anxiety for her. “
Symptoms of ovarian cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, include:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Irregular discharge from the vagina
- Pain or pressure in the pelvic area
- Back or abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Feeling full too quickly or having difficulty eating
- A change in toilet habits, such as a more frequent or urgent need to urinate and / or constipation
The agency urges women to pay attention to their bodies and understand what is normal for them. Any unusual vaginal bleeding, including period changes, can be an important indicator to see a doctor.
“Now I show people my scar”
Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, this isn’t the first health challenge Lee faces. According to the GoFundMe page, she has had 19 different surgeries for scoliosis. An article about Lee on the APA website also reports that she has been the national spokesperson for the Scoliosis Foundation for more than a decade.
“I feel really lucky because my experience was tough, but I got over it,” Lee told USA Today in 2003. “I became the national spokesperson because I want to help other girls avoid a lot of pain, embarrassment and loneliness. The reason I had really long hair to hide my scars because I felt horribly insecure and ugly. Now I show people my scar. The more I talked about it, the better I felt. “
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