EASTON, Pa. (WLVT) - Amanda Buss has no problems knocking down shots on the basketball court, but when she was 28, something else was trying to knock her down.
"My original diagnosis was breast cancer," she said. "I had a lumpectomy to my breasts, and then, I did chemo and radiation, and then was placed on preventative hormone therapy. However, the cancer decided it wanted to kind of like come back and keep me on my toes. So, the metastasis has come back, and it spread to other organs in my body."
Buss is the executive director of the Cancer Support Community of the Greater Lehigh Valley, which offers resources free of charge.
"We provide support groups, healthy lifestyle classes, educational programs, social connections, and then really just have a wealth of resources for people to take advantage of that are here right here in the Lehigh Valley," she said.
The organization is teaming up with the women's basketball squad at Lafayette College for the team's third annual Play4Kay game, which celebrates local women survivors of cancer.
"We also want to make sure that we're tying in the community and galvanizing our strength, which is our community here at Lafayette, and to make people feel welcome and let them know that we recognize them and we see them and we appreciate them," said head coach Kia Damon-Olson.
Play4Kay is a national movement created by the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Along with Lafayette, several local schools including Lehigh, Moravian, DeSales and East Stroudsburg are participating this year.
"Kay Yow was a legendary Hall of Fame coach at North Carolina State University, and she had several bouts with cancer, and ultimately it claimed her life," Damon-Olson said, "but her wish was that she could start a foundation that would really serve those that are underprivileged and would create awareness, so that the resources that they needed in terms of health care treatments could be more easily accessible."
For freshman forward Reilly Campbell, cancer hits home. Her mom is a thyroid cancer survivor.
"I was only about like eight or nine," she said, "and I didn't find out till years later. They kind of just slipped one day, and I was like, 'Cancer?!'"
"It's kind of heartbreaking, but at the same time, the support that they receive, and then, the perseverance that they have to fight through, it's really inspiring," added junior forward Natalie Kucowski.
The ladies told PBS39 they see connections between the game of basketball and fighting cancer.
"You're always up against another opponent," Buss said, "and so, with cancer, that's your opponent, and you want to beat your opponent. You want to outsmart your opponent."
"You have to be...mentally tough. You have to be physically tough. You have to be emotionally tough," Damon-Olson said.
Players said that toughness translates into inspiration on the court.
"Just to have all the survivors here with us really gives us another boost of energy and support, and it just reminds you that there's things more important in basketball," Kucowski said.
"Their courageous battle is our courageous battle," Damon-Olson said.
"It affects people, mothers, grandmothers," Campbell added, "people really close to everyone's hearts."
Last year, Lafayette raised about $1,100 at its Play4Kay game. This year, Damon-Olson said the team will share its proceeds with the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and with the Easton community. Buss said supporting local groups like hers helps provide free resources for those who need them.
"With donations that we get here and that stay here locally in our community, we’re able to allow instructors to come in and teach classes on mindfulness and yoga and have professionals come in and talk about the benefits or side effect management," she said, "and then also to just provide like a safe environment for people to talk to each other about what they're dealing with in a support group setting."
"Taking care of your health and being aware of your health, male or female, very important, particularly as you age and so we want to do everything that we can do to create awareness of all cancers, and to provide information that will be in the foyer area for survivors and for fans at the game that they can just take home with them, peruse through it and become just more aware of just everything that is going on," Damon-Olson said.
"To be able to have people be incorporated into this game and be a part of our team and know the feeling that they have feeling welcome and involved with us is really rewarding," Kucowski said, "and then, to go out and play hard for them because they fought hard themselves, it’s just a really good day, and it's a fun experience."
The team takes on Holy Cross on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Kirby Sports Center.
Survivors are encouraged to be part of the festivities, which includes a post-game reception. To register, click HERE.
To learn more about the team's Free Throw Challenge that benefits the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, click HERE.