Tiffany Jackson, a former standout at the University of Texas who was the No. 5 pick in the WNBA draft in 2007 and played nine years in the league, has passed away of cancer, the school announced. She was only 37 years old.
Jackson, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, died Monday, October 3rd. Just a few months into her new job as head coach at Wiley College. A dream job she received back in April.
Jackson was a three-time All-Big 12 selection and was voted the national freshman of the year by the U.S Basketball Writers Association in 2004. She finished her Texas career ranked in the top five in career points, rebounds and steals.
Jackson played her college years under Hall of Fame head coach Jody Conradt from 2003-07.
You May Also Like
“Tiffany had a great career and was an impact player,” Conradt said. She was recognized for her all-around game and the fact that she was tremendously mobile and could play multiple positions. She was beloved by teammates, and we share in the sadness of her passing.”
Jackson was drafted by the WNBA’s New York Liberty. She also played for the Tulsa Shock and the Los Angeles Sparks. Her best pro season came in 2011 with Tulsa when she averaged 12.4 points and 8.4 rebounds.
After her cancer Stage 3 cancer diagnosis, Jackson managed to return to the court to play a final season with Los Angeles in 2017 before retiring at age 32. She was an assistant coach at Texas for two seasons.
Stages of Breast Cancer
While Jackson found out her diagnosis far later than doctors would have hoped in Stage III, there are five stages of breast cancer. They start at zero and go up to four (they are represented by the Roman numerals I, II, III, and IV.) There are several variables within some stages.
Tumors are measured in millimeters and centimeters (ten millimeters equals one centimeter). For consistency here, we measure tumors in millimeters.
While breast cancer incidence rates among Black and white women are close, mortality rates are markedly different, with Black women having a 41 percent higher death rate from breast cancer. Among women under 50, the disparity is even greater: The mortality rate among young Black women, who have a higher incidence of aggressive cancers, is double that of young white women.
Social, economic, and behavioral factors may partially account for disparities. Black women are statistically more likely to have diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, and are less likely to breastfeed after childbirth—all of which are risk factors for breast cancer. They are also more likely than white women to have inadequate health insurance or access to health care facilities, which may affect screening, follow-up care, and completion of therapy.
Symptoms of Breast Cancer
It was reported that Jackson started experiencing some symptoms prior to her diagnosis. Different people have different symptoms of breast cancer. Some people can even show no signs or symptoms at all.
Some warning signs of breast cancer are:
