What You Didn’t Know About Kaye Cowher Could Help Save Your Life
Kaye Cowher’s athletic figure may have given away that she played in the Women's Professional Basketball League, spending two seasons with the New Jersey Gem and another season with the New York Stars. You may remember Kaye and her twin sister, Faye. They appeared in a Wrigley's Doublemint gum commercial in 1978 after leading North Carolina State to the Atlantic Coast Conference's first women's basketball title.
Kaye's vivaciousness and constant presence at Pittsburgh Steelers games may have also given away that she was married to former Steelers head coach, Bill Cowher. She was famously known for waiting for Bill after every game as he left the field.
But what few people knew about Kaye is that she was battling skin cancer. Last week her battle ended. She was 54. The family released a statement:
“Sadly, my wife Kaye lost her battle with cancer on Friday. Kaye was such a loving and compassionate person and she was the foundation of our family. Kaye was always at my side throughout my career as a player, coach, NFL analyst and, most importantly, as a parent to our three daughters Meagan, Lauren and Lindsay. They will miss their mother dearly. Kaye was the rock that we could all lean on in the tough times. I cannot say enough about what Kaye meant to our family. Her memory will never be forgotten. It is clear that Kaye touched a lot of lives."
Skin cancer is one of those things that you don’t consciously think about as being deadly. Tragically, Kaye Cowher’s death reminds us that it is, and we must be diligent in protecting ourselves.
Did you know that skin cancer is on the rise in the U.S and it’s the most common cancer diagnosis? This year alone, 1 million new skin cancer cases will be discovered, according to the National Cancer Institute. Many of these newly-reported cases will be in young adults under 30. The number of skin cancer cases are expected to continue rising every year as generations of sun worshipers age. Along with natural sunlight, the increase use of indoor tanning beds is also recognized as a chief cause for new skin cancer cases.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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