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Leah Still, Daughter Of Former Bengals Football Player Devon Still, Celebrates Being One Year Cancer-Free

By Pam Wright
Published on: 07:58 PST, Mar 27, 2016

Leah Still, the 5-year-old daughter of former Cincinnati Bengals player Devon Still, celebrated being cancer free for one year.

Devon Still took to social media on Friday to celebrate his daughter’s “second birthday.”

“I want to wish a Happy (2nd) Birthday to my baby, Leah,” Still wrote on Instagram. “Today, March 25th, marks a year of her being in remission! A day she was given a second chance at life.”

According to the Today show, Leah helped raise more than a million dollars for cancer research during her fight, won an ESPY Award for her courage, and became close with Today’s Hoda Kotb, after appearing in the Kotb’s Truly Brave video featuring Cyndi Lauper and Sara Bareilles.

The darling of Cincinnati and the NFL team, Leah Still was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma in 2015 at age 4.

According to ESPN, Devon Still rose in the world of professional football from humble beginnings in Camden, New Jersey.

While living the dream and playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, Devon Still learned in June of 2014 that his 4-year-old daughter, Leah, had stage 4 cancer, with only a 50-50 chance of survival.

While battling her disease, the Bengals announced that it would donate a big chunk of any sales from Devon’s jersey to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. More than 15,000 shirts were sold.

Images of Leah Still watching her dad play for the first time after she finished chemotherapy brought the internet to its knees.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, during a rivalry game between the Cleveland Browns and the Bengals, Leah Still made a heart-wrenching appearance wearing a surgical mask. At the end of the game, the Bengals and Leah Still presented Cincinnati Children’s with a check for $1.3 million, which was the money raised from sales of Devon Still’s jersey, as well as other donations, to be used for cancer research.

In March, 2015, she was declared cancer-free. She and Devon Still continue to fundraise for other children suffering from cancer.

In June, controversy arose when Caitlyn Jenner was awarded the Arthur Ashe award. Many thought it should have gone to Devon Still for his efforts to fight childhood cancer.

At the time, Jonathan V. Last made the case that the courage Devon Still and daughter Leah demonstrated defines what the Arthur Ashe award is meant to be.

“What she and her father did goes far beyond perseverance. If you want an iconic picture of courage, put the Caitlyn Jenner come-hither Vanity Fair cover next to the photo of Devon Still crying on the field at Foxboro as he realizes that thousands of people he’s never met are pulling for his daughter.

“Leah and Devon Still have fought with courage and have raised almost a million and a half dollars for cancer research.

“Caitlyn Jenner spent thousands of dollars on breast implants and got a reality show. You tell me who’s more courageous.

“When you put those two images side-by-side, giving the Arthur Ashe award to Jenner isn’t just preposterous. It’s insulting.”

Neuroblastoma disease develops from immature nerve cells found in several areas of the body and primarily affects children younger than 5, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Congratulations to Leah Still and her dad, Devon Still!

[Image via Twitter/Devon Still]

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