Pat Summit Diagnosed with Early Dementia

[itself]

This is horrible news. The winningest coach in all of basketball history, is dealing with dementia. My prayers go out to her. God willing some of the newer approaches in medicine may help...

[indysteel]

That's a real shame. I wonder if there's a family history or if it might be related to any head injuries from her days as a player.

[PamNY]

I believe she mentioned family history. Here's a story from the Knoxville newspaper (http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2011/aug/23/pat-summitt-diagnosed-early-onset-dementia/).

And from the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/pat-summitt-tennessee-womens-basketball-coach-diagnosed-with-alzheimers-disease/2011/08/23/gIQADEuDZJ_story.html) (I love the first paragraph of this story).

[ultraviolet]

As a Tennessee alum, member of the pep band that played at numerous Lady Vols games and NCAA tournaments and long-time admirer of Coach Summitt, I'm beyond sad tonight. :(

[skhill]

It's so sad. Pat Summit is such a treasure. I've been going to UK LadyKat/ Wildcat games since I was a kid, and I've seen her Tennessee teams beat Kentucky more times than I care to admit. And I even called in sick to work one time so I could get to the Tennessee game...

I really feel for her son-- 20 years old, and looking at moving into adulthood with a mother who will likely need help more and more as the years go by. There are no shortage of people who care about Pat and will be there for her, but it'll still be a heavy load for him.

[PamNY]

One more story about Pat Summitt from the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/25/sports/ncaabasketball/pat-summitt-faces-dementia-with-fierce-determination.html). The author tells us something about "the long uphill climb for women’s sports."

I graduated from UT in 1972, so I know something about the atmosphere in that time and place. I have zero interest in basketball, but I am in awe of what Pat Summitt did for women's sports.