2024 Speaker - Chaunté Lowe
When you think of a world champion, think Chaunté Lowe-a four-time Olympian, Olympic Medalist, World Champion and three-time World Championship Medalist, the current American record holder for indoor and outdoor high jump, author, mother of three, and breast cancer survivor. In addition to Lowe's impressive athletic track record, her life off the field also motivates and inspires thousands. Chaunte would have never guessed, with all that she accomplished, her biggest obstacle would come off the track. In 2019, Lowe was rattled with the devastating diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer, which is among the most aggressive forms. In a state of disbelief, Chaunté took the crushing blow head-on, being forced to bow out of the national championships for a double mastectomy and miss the world championships for chemotherapy. Still, she decided that she would fight against the odds and train through chemo in hopes of making the delayed 2020 US Olympic team. Now known as an expert on resilience, her advocacy work focuses on early detection and breast cancer awareness to save lives.
Past Speakers
2023: Andre Dawson, Retired professional baseball player and prostate cancer survivor
2022: Lance Armstrong, Top Ranked Cyclist and Testicular Cancer Survivor
2021: Anthony Rizzo, First Baseman for Chicago Cubs and Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor
2020: Dorothy Hamill, Olympic Gold Medal Skater and breast cancer survivor
2019: Vince Papale, former NFL player and colon cancer survivor.
2018: Scott Hamilton, Olympic Gold Medal Skater, Broadcaster, and Cancer Survivor
2017: Shannon Miller, Olympian, Entrepreneur and Cancer Survivor
2016: Jim Kelly, Retired Buffalo Bills quarterback and NFL Hall of Fame
2015: Mark Herzlich, New York Giants Linebacker and Cancer Survivor
2014: Mike Haynes, Former Los Angeles Raiders Defensive Back, Cancer Survivor, and NFL Hall of Fame
2013: Chris Draft, Former NFL Linebacker and Cancer Advocate
2012: Merril Hoge, Former Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back, ESPN Analyst and Cancer Survivor
2011: Chris Spielman, Former Detroit Lions Linebacker and Cancer Advocate
2010: Mike Ditka, Former Chicago Bears Tight End, Chicago Bears Coach and NFL Hall of Fame
2009: Marv Levy, Former Buffalo Bills Coach, NFL Hall of Fame and Cancer Survivor
2008: Gale Sayers, Former Chicago Bears Running Back and NFL Hall of Fame
2007: Craig Morton, Former Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos Quarterback, and Cancer Survivor
2006: Len Dawson, Former Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback, Super Bowl IV MVP, and NFL Hall of Fame
2005: Art Still, Former Kansas City Chiefs & Buffalo Bills Defensive End, and NFL Pro Bowler
2004: Marv Cook, Former University of Iowa All-American, New England Patriots tight end, and NFL All-Pro
2003: Kirk Ferentz, University of Iowa Football Coach
2002: John Keck, Former NFL Referee
