Molly Arnold Selected as Recipient of MVC Most Courageous Award

Oct. 30, 2008

ST. LOUIS - Missouri Valley Conference Commissioner Doug Elgin announced Thursday that Molly Arnold, Illinois State Director of Admissions, has been selected as the 2009 recipient of the league's Most Courageous Award.

The Missouri Valley Conference presents the Most Courageous Award to a past or present student-athlete, coach or university administrator who demonstrates unusual courage in the face of personal illness, adversity or tragedy and whose behavior reflects honor on the institution or the Conference. Individuals receiving the award might also have performed heroic feats or otherwise inspired others.

The presentation of the award will take place during the 2008-09 academic year. The actual site, date and time of the ceremony have not yet been determined.

"Now in its 102nd season of existence, the Missouri Valley Conference has witnessed its share of human spirit overcoming personal adversity stories," said Commissioner Elgin, who is in his 21st year with The Valley. "The previous recipients of the Most Courageous Award have displayed unmatched valor and strength in the face of personal struggle. We are extremely grateful that we have the opportunity to recognize Molly Arnold with this award from our membership."

Previous recipients of the Most Courageous Award include Martha Chaput and Mandy Kappel (2001) of Drake University who battled Hodgkins disease and a brain tumor, respectively, and returned to the basketball court, and Kwame James (2002) of the University of Evansville who thwarted would-be terrorist Richard Reed's attempt to explode a shoe-bomb on an airline flight.

A native of Danville, Ill., Arnold is in her fifth year as the director of admissions at Illinois State and her 19th year overall at the school. Arnold spends countless hours during the week and on weekends meeting with recruits and assisting Redbird coaches with prospective student-athletes.

In 2000, Arnold, now 46, found a lump in her right breast while taking a shower. In May 2001, she had the breast removed and reconstructive surgery was performed. She had chemotherapy, lost her hair, grew it back and went on maintenance drugs.

Arnold, who was named ISU admissions director in July 2004, kept busy with her job and family, and in August 2005, she elected to have plastic surgery done on her right breast. During a physical exam of her right breast, another lump was found. Three weeks later, she was in Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis to have the lump removed when she discovered another lump. She awoke from that surgery to find that the cancer had metastasized to her bones.

Doctors explained that there is no cure for metastatic breast cancer to the bone and her life expectancy was less than two years, but Arnold, who perseveres through chemotherapy, blood work, takes bone-hardening intravenous medication once a month and gets scanned once every 10 weeks.

Nearly three years later, Arnold is alive and active as a wife, mother and Redbird fan, and exceeds the doctor's dismal projections and continues to make a difference in the lives of all she touches. She balances optimism with reality and is fortunate to have husband, Scott, and children, Briana, Bryce and Haley, who are committed to do whatever needs to be done.

"I have metastatic breast cancer to the bone and have a life expectancy of two years," Arnold says. "So, I'm living on borrowed time. I hope someone will look at me and think, `She's still going, even though the odds are against her.' No one knows how much time they have. I know how precious every day is."