Basketball, in many ways, often seems like the be-all and end-all of life.

Indeed, that’s the way it initially seemed for the Mercury’s Shameka Christon. That is, until a phone call changed everything.

“As an athlete, you think basketball is all that matters,” Christon said. “Two years ago I was frustrated with something about the game; I don’t even remember what it was. I called my sister, LayLay [Shalanya], and was venting a bit. She was quiet, listening, and said that everything happens for a reason and there are bigger things in life to worry about.”

Christon began to sense that something was wrong. “Where is she going with this?” Christon thought.

“It got silent for a bit, and then said she has something to tell me,” Christon recalled. “That’s when she told me she was diagnosed with the “C” monster. She refused to say the word or give it any power. It was Stage IV ovarian cancer and the doctors said her chances were slim.”

Christon was, understandably, devastated.

“Here I am complaining about basketball and she has so much more to deal with and go through,” Christon said. “She told me she was going through treatment and her 17-year-old son – my nephew – was motivation for her to keep fighting.”

Christon said seeing her sister go through such a traumatic experience was difficult on everyone. Usually, her sister was the life of the party – loving, caring. But cancer would sap all energy from her. In spite of that, Shalanya refused to let it keep her from anything. In fact, she would go through treatment in the morning and travel hundreds of miles to see her son play AAU basketball in the afternoon.

“Some days were harder than others,” Christon said. “But she refused to let it get the best of her. Our entire community was behind her and prayed for her.”

The good news is that Shalanya, 34, is healthy and currently not going through treatment. First diagnosed in February of 2013, she went into remission in June of 2013. It came back in 2014 but Shalanya beat it again.

“She’s doing great,” Christon added. “She’s upbeat, and back in school teaching.”

Christon said a major factor that saved her sister’s life was early detection.

“Life is really short.” Christon said. “You just never know. For me, I want to do my part to raise awareness for it and hopefully find a cure one day. A lot of women don’t’ know that they have it, but it can be detected early on. It is super important to get your yearly checkups so if it is caught, it’s in the early stages.

“She’s my hero,” Christon said with a smile. “LayLay is a fighter and refused to let it get the best of her.”

For more on the Mercury’s Ovarian Cancer Awareness Game, click here.