Greatness in Action Our Youth in 2014 by Genice Phillips l Inspiration Awards l Greatness in Action l Youth Awards l Importance of Youth

Leah Still

Our pick this year goes to Leah Still. The 4-year-old daughter of Cincinnati Bengals player Devon Still, Leah has shown tremendous courage and grace while battling Stage 4 neuroblastoma, a form of pediatric cancer.

In late August, her father was cut by the Bengals football team during preseason. The following day, he was re-signed to the practice squad and weeks later, moved to the active roster, which retained his medical insurance in order to cover Leah’s medical bills.

Leah underwent a near 6-hour surgery to remove the cancerous tumor, but is still undergoing treatment for stem cell therapy at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. On November 7, Leah made a trip to Cincinnati to see her father play football for the first time.

An outpouring of support from fans, teammates and celebrities were shown to Leah and her family, as she continues to battle for her life. Over a million dollars has been donated to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for cancer research.

Leah’s fight has captured and inspired the nation; and her light continues to shine.

Justin Verlander

Most know 31-year-old pitcher of the Detroit Tigers, Justin Verlander, as the boyfriend of model Kate Upton. But the Virginia native should be known for making a difference.
Last year, he gave a million dollars to launch Win for Warriors, a program that provides mental health support to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families in various cities across the US.

His community involvement for our veterans has been far reaching, as he and other philanthropic leaders and organizations recently joined the White House in the Joining Forces Initiative Impact Pledge, committing $170 million dollars to support veterans and military families.

His contributions are also seen on the field, inviting wounded veterans to watch him pitch from his suite in Comerica Park, as part of the Victory for Veterans program. His hopes are to partner with a national leader in veteran research to “produce a cutting-edge study on gaps and barriers that exist in services for veterans and our communities.”

Lauren Hill

22 is the number on her basketball jersey. Against all odds, in spite of battling inoperable brain cancer since her diagnosis last year, college student and basketball player Lauren Hill, has never given up.

Doctors say she is expected to live until the end of this year, as an aggressive and rare type of cancer deteriorates her brain and body. But her spirit has not faltered, has not wavered.

Lauren continues to live her life, becoming a freshman at Mount St. Joseph University and joining the basketball team. She played her first game of the NCAA Basketball season in early November, and scored 4 points, with a layup at the end of the game. Droves of people came out to show their support. Her teammates rushed on the court to congratulate her and cheer her on.

Her passion overrides the pain and her dedication to being a voice to others is the embodiment of hope.

"What keeps me going is remembering why I'm here," Lauren says. “I told (God) I'd take every opportunity to speak for the kids who can't speak."

Keke Palmer

Chicago-born talent Keke Palmer has made history twice this year. Known for her superb acting roles in “Akeelah and the Bee” and “Joyful Noise,” Keke became the youngest talk show host in TV history with her BET show, “Just Keke.”

Add being the first African American and youngest actress to play the role of Rodger and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” on Broadway, and you can see her determination.

Whether it’s working with the non-profit organization, Saving Our Daughters, fighting to cease bullying in our schools, or transforming into a “diva detective” for the Science Sleuth Campaign of DoSomething.org, her work ethic and compassion makes her one of the most poignant and impactful voices of today’s youth.

Ben Pierce

What would you want to see if you knew you were going blind?

For 9-year-old Ben Pierce, he is quickly losing his eyesight. Born with “Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP),” a disease of the eye that affects prematurely-born babies, his parents knew the day would come where their son would lose his vision for good.

To help him transition and deal with going blind, his family asked him to create a bucket list of all the things he wants to see – anywhere he would like to go. Snorkeling, a trip to Las Vegas, and a toy factory are just some of things on his list.

And he’s already checked off a few – Disneyland, Legoland, the beach, and the Apple store. People who have heard of Ben’s story have contributed donations – airline miles and hotel bookings – to help cover his fun, but somewhat expensive, trips.

But what touches the heart of his family is Ben’s quiet humility and generous attitude, reminding us to live out our dreams, no matter what age.