WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina

UNC's Breland diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma

Jun 9, 2009

North Carolina senior forward Jessica Breland has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and is currently undergoing treatment at UNC Hospitals, the Breland family announced today. The treatment, which is being conducted under the supervision of the UNC Hospitals oncology team, consists of chemotherapy that is expected to continue into the fall.

“Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is a very curable form of cancer,” Dr. Mario Ciocca of UNC Sports Medicine said. “Factoring in Jessica’s age and her overall good health and athleticism, we anticipate a positive response to her treatment. Her condition will be monitored closely here in Chapel Hill and she will continue to be reassessed throughout the summer.”

“The last few weeks have been a really emotional time for me, but I’ve got a very positive attitude about my treatment and I’m looking forward to getting healthy and getting back to playing basketball as soon as possible,” Breland said. “I’ve been keeping my normal schedule, going to class, helping out with camp, and I’m not going to let this get me down. I’ve got lots of love and support from my family, my friends, my teammates and my coaches and I know I’ll be back and better than ever soon.”

“Obviously, this news came as a shock to everyone, but Jessica is a fighter and I know that she will attack this with the same attitude and energy she brings to the basketball court,” head coach Sylvia Hatchell said. “Our focus is 100 percent on helping Jessica to get better. The entire Carolina Basketball family is with Jessica, and we will continue to provide her with our full love and support throughout her battle.”

Breland is an important part of the Heels' frontcourt - the 6-foot-3 post player averaged more than 14 points and eight rebounds per game last season.