WNBA star Breanna Stewart raises awareness for marrow donor program after death of father-in-law

[September 23, 2024]  By DOUG FEINBERG

NEW YORK (AP) — Breanna Stewart lost her father-in-law, Josep Xargay, to cancer nearly a year ago.

Stewart is now helping raise awareness for the disease, joining NMDP, formerly known as the National Marrow Donor Program.

“It was pretty deep,” Stewart said in an interview with the AP, pausing for a moment to regain her composure, about her loss. “I don’t think it ever got to the point where he could get on a transplant list or anything. I don’t know if I’ll be able to donate at some point, but just doing what I can to help spread the word."

Stewart took part Saturday in an event in New York called NMDP Unite, which falls on the global celebration of World Marrow Donor Day. The event helped raise funds for NMDP’s patient assistance program and blood stem cell research initiatives.

She shook hands and posed for photos with the attendees and also took a swab to join the NMDP Registry.

The Liberty star also recently met after a game with Brian Kevan, a New York firefighter who was at 9/11. Kevan had cancer and now is free of it thanks to a blood stem cell donation he received. The pair reconnected on Saturday at the event.

"It's really inspirational and something I wanted to be a part of," Stewart said. “He was a firefighter in 9/11, which is even more inspiring and incredible.”

Breanna Stewart, foreground, of the New York Liberty WNBA basketball team, attends an event hosted by NMDP (formerly Be the Match), Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in New York. (Calla Kessler/AP Content Services for NMDP)

Stewart said she was only 7 on Sept. 11, but remembers vividly the emotions of the day.

“We were in school and we were supposed to watch something on TV that day, and all of a sudden, like, the teachers were just getting, like, really emotional.,” she recalled. “We couldn’t watch anything. We got sent home early, and I came home and my mom was on the couch crying, watching the news.”

Also, Stewart met that night after the Liberty game another cancer patient who attended UConn with her. That patient hasn't required a transplant yet.

“Hopefully, I can inspire them as they’re inspiring me and, you know, when you get this opportunity to meet people who are really fighting for their lives, it puts life into perspective,” Stewart said.

The Liberty forward said with the anniversary of her father-in-law’s death coming up, it will be hard on their family.

“I’ll continue to get through it by helping others and this was one way,” she said.

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