University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: UNC Athletic Communications
Tar Heels Learn to Fight Like Britt
September 29, 2020 | Women's Rowing
Much like the rest of the country and world, the members of the University of North Carolina rowing team opened up their laptops, tablets and cell phones to log onto a Zoom in late September.
However, this call would have a much greater impact than a usual team meeting.
September is gynecological cancer awareness month. It's been one year since Carolina began its FORevHER Tar Heels initiative and four years since Britt Burns, a former Clemson rower, died of cancer at the age of 26. Although on the outside it might seem to be a tragic loss of an ACC friend, Britt's life became a part of the Carolina story when Ty and Cathy Burns and Dr. Paola Gehrig joined the zoom meeting with the Carolina rowers.
Like many in the audience, Brittany Burns never rowed until stepping foot on her college campus back in 2008. Britt was an elite high school swimmer turned collegiate rower for four years at Clemson. Britt helped the Tigers win an ACC championship in 2009 and was a part of the fourth Varsity 8 team that beat No. 12 Michigan and No. 7 Ohio State in the 2011 ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Dating, and later engaged to, Clemson linebacker Tony Steward, the two would argue over equity in women's athletics which would later fuel the Fight Like Britt campaign. With a bright future ahead, the couple moved to Buffalo, where Steward was drafted by the Bills in 2015.
However, things quickly changed.
"Britt hadn't been feeling well for about 4-5 months," Ty Burns, Britt's father, said. "She kept going to the doctor but they couldn't find anything definitive. Early December 2015, she had a tumor burst, and on December 9, we found out Britt had ovarian cancer."
It would have been easy, almost understandable, to let the diagnosis get the best of the situation. But they didn't. They fought. They fought like Britt. They worked with the best doctors and specialists around the country. They tried chemotherapy and experimental drugs toward the end. However, Britt lost her battle with ovarian cancer on Feb. 1, 2016.
Throughout her three-month battle, Britt and Tony started a fundraiser that was driven to raise awareness about ovarian cancer and educate young women about the symptoms of disease. After her passing, the Burns' created the Fight Like Britt Foundation to continue their efforts.
Thanks to the backing of local organizations and community members, Fight Like Britt was able gather an abundance of support that Ty and Cathy pledged to give 100 percent of it to educate and raise awareness about ovarian cancer.
Although ovarian cancer typically impacts older women, rarer forms can impact women in their 20s, like Britt. Symptoms can be very subtle but may include bloating, pelvic pain, heavier cycles, pressure while exercising, as well as other symptoms, according to Dr. Paola Gehrig, the chief of the gynecologic oncology division at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"It's important to be your own best advocate," Dr. Gehrig said. "Speak up when something isn't normal for you.
"No pun intended, but trust your gut. The same way athletes are very in tune with their bodies if they have an injury when a joint doesn't feel quite right, they should have that same intuition and focus in terms of other health care needs."
It's been four years since Britt's passing but that does not make it any easier for Ty to share his daughter's story. But his message to Carolina's women student-athletes is simple: "It's your body. No one is going to take care of it like you. Nobody knows it like you. If something's not right, you need to keep searching for answers."
"At some point this could touch our lives," UNC senior rower Juliana Micchia said, who moderated the Zoom webinar, "and knowing these symptoms and being aware of ovarian cancer is so important."
Ty and Cathy have spoken to numerous teams, all at schools that have impacted their family's lives: Clemson, Duke, Arizona, Arizona State, Maine, Delaware, Central Florida and now, North Carolina. Terry Morgan, a longtime friend of the Burns family, Carolina graduate and Rams Club member, connected Ty and Cathy with Carolina to share Britt's story.
"Britt led a wonderful life," Morgan said. "She was a wonderful and gracious person. It is so important to share this knowledge and to make the Carolina community more aware about this disease."
Although the Burns' couldn't see the 75+ attendees on the Zoom webinar, their message about ovarian cancer resonated loud and clear with the audience.
"I do this for Britt," Ty said. "When I see all these young women that I've spoken to, I do it for them too. When I look at the student-athletes, I see Britt. It's a great thing we're doing, but I don't want take credit because this was Britt. It's what she would've wanted so that other women are more knowledgeable about ovarian cancer."
The goal might have been to reach one million people when the mission started in 2016. Now well beyond their goal, Ty and Cathy Burns continue to spread awareness and teach others how to Fight Like Britt.
Stay up to date with Carolina Rowing by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
However, this call would have a much greater impact than a usual team meeting.
September is gynecological cancer awareness month. It's been one year since Carolina began its FORevHER Tar Heels initiative and four years since Britt Burns, a former Clemson rower, died of cancer at the age of 26. Although on the outside it might seem to be a tragic loss of an ACC friend, Britt's life became a part of the Carolina story when Ty and Cathy Burns and Dr. Paola Gehrig joined the zoom meeting with the Carolina rowers.
Like many in the audience, Brittany Burns never rowed until stepping foot on her college campus back in 2008. Britt was an elite high school swimmer turned collegiate rower for four years at Clemson. Britt helped the Tigers win an ACC championship in 2009 and was a part of the fourth Varsity 8 team that beat No. 12 Michigan and No. 7 Ohio State in the 2011 ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Dating, and later engaged to, Clemson linebacker Tony Steward, the two would argue over equity in women's athletics which would later fuel the Fight Like Britt campaign. With a bright future ahead, the couple moved to Buffalo, where Steward was drafted by the Bills in 2015.
However, things quickly changed.
"Britt hadn't been feeling well for about 4-5 months," Ty Burns, Britt's father, said. "She kept going to the doctor but they couldn't find anything definitive. Early December 2015, she had a tumor burst, and on December 9, we found out Britt had ovarian cancer."
It would have been easy, almost understandable, to let the diagnosis get the best of the situation. But they didn't. They fought. They fought like Britt. They worked with the best doctors and specialists around the country. They tried chemotherapy and experimental drugs toward the end. However, Britt lost her battle with ovarian cancer on Feb. 1, 2016.
Throughout her three-month battle, Britt and Tony started a fundraiser that was driven to raise awareness about ovarian cancer and educate young women about the symptoms of disease. After her passing, the Burns' created the Fight Like Britt Foundation to continue their efforts.
Thanks to the backing of local organizations and community members, Fight Like Britt was able gather an abundance of support that Ty and Cathy pledged to give 100 percent of it to educate and raise awareness about ovarian cancer.
Although ovarian cancer typically impacts older women, rarer forms can impact women in their 20s, like Britt. Symptoms can be very subtle but may include bloating, pelvic pain, heavier cycles, pressure while exercising, as well as other symptoms, according to Dr. Paola Gehrig, the chief of the gynecologic oncology division at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"It's important to be your own best advocate," Dr. Gehrig said. "Speak up when something isn't normal for you.
"No pun intended, but trust your gut. The same way athletes are very in tune with their bodies if they have an injury when a joint doesn't feel quite right, they should have that same intuition and focus in terms of other health care needs."
It's been four years since Britt's passing but that does not make it any easier for Ty to share his daughter's story. But his message to Carolina's women student-athletes is simple: "It's your body. No one is going to take care of it like you. Nobody knows it like you. If something's not right, you need to keep searching for answers."
"At some point this could touch our lives," UNC senior rower Juliana Micchia said, who moderated the Zoom webinar, "and knowing these symptoms and being aware of ovarian cancer is so important."
Ty and Cathy have spoken to numerous teams, all at schools that have impacted their family's lives: Clemson, Duke, Arizona, Arizona State, Maine, Delaware, Central Florida and now, North Carolina. Terry Morgan, a longtime friend of the Burns family, Carolina graduate and Rams Club member, connected Ty and Cathy with Carolina to share Britt's story.
"Britt led a wonderful life," Morgan said. "She was a wonderful and gracious person. It is so important to share this knowledge and to make the Carolina community more aware about this disease."
Although the Burns' couldn't see the 75+ attendees on the Zoom webinar, their message about ovarian cancer resonated loud and clear with the audience.
"I do this for Britt," Ty said. "When I see all these young women that I've spoken to, I do it for them too. When I look at the student-athletes, I see Britt. It's a great thing we're doing, but I don't want take credit because this was Britt. It's what she would've wanted so that other women are more knowledgeable about ovarian cancer."
The goal might have been to reach one million people when the mission started in 2016. Now well beyond their goal, Ty and Cathy Burns continue to spread awareness and teach others how to Fight Like Britt.
Stay up to date with Carolina Rowing by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Rowing
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