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Thursday 12 July 2018
Olympic medalist Kikkan Randall announces cancer diagnosis
By RACHEL D’ORO hometown before she After she completed her
Associated Press moved earlier this year to fourth Winter Games, in
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Penticton, British Columbia, Sochi, Randall decided it
— Olympic gold medalist with her 2-year-son, Breck, was the right time to have
Kikkan Randall has been and husband Jeff Ellis. She a baby. So at age 32, she
diagnosed with early stage said she woke up Wednes- planned accordingly. She
breast cancer. day feeling “fairly decent figured she could give birth
The 35-year-old cross-coun- still.” “You always want to then return to competi-
try skier known for pink-high- celebrate the gold medals tion and qualified for Py-
lighted hair said Wednes- together, but you know, in eongchang.
day on social media that a way, you really see the Randall will undergo six
“the color pink has taken strength of the whole com- rounds of chemo every
on a new chapter” in her munity when they come to three weeks. She will stay
life. She said the prognosis your aid when you’re hav- with her parents for the next
is good, but she expects life ing a tough time,” she told three weeks to see how she
to change significantly in The Associated Press. fares. If all goes well, she
the months ahead. The pink in Randall’s hair hopes to travel back and
“I am going to bring as has faded, but there’s a forth between Anchorage
much tenacity, strength, good chance she will dye and Canada between
and energy toward this the color back in during rounds to be with her son
challenge as I have the coming days. If her hair and husband.
throughout my entire ca- ends up falling out because She said she has weath-
reer,” she wrote. of the chemo, they’d find a ered past “bumps in the
Randall, the most accom- “fun way” to put the pink road,” like a blood clot she
plished American cross- back, she said. was treated for a decade
country skier ever, made She is the only American ago, by reaching out to
good on her nickname woman to win season-long others.
“Kikkanimal” by riding her In this Feb. 22, 2018, file photo, Gold medalist in the women’s World Cup titles, taking “Being able to share my ex-
bike to and from her first team sprint freestyle cross-country skiing, Kikkan Randall, of the home three sprint titles. She periences really helped me
round of chemo Monday United States, poses during the medals ceremony at the 2018 has won 14 individual World kind of process it and find
in Anchorage, Alaska, her Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Cup races. the good,” she said.q
Associated Press
