Former Iowa women's basketball player Ava Jones recently made a heartbreaking announcement. In a post on her Instagram account, Jones announced that she has been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
"I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma after the results from the biopsy came back," Jones wrote. "This is the news no one ever wants to get, but especially after spending the last 2 and a half years working my butt off and recovering from getting hit by a car. My body is very strong and I am confident in the doctors here at Iowa."
As Jones referenced in her post, she and her family were hit by a car in 2022, a tragic incident that led to Jones' father passing away. Jones suffered a brain injury from the incident as well, while her mother also suffered injuries.
WNBA star and former Iowa women's basketball player Caitlin Clark shared a message with Jones via a comment on the Instagram post following Jones' heartbreaking announcement.
"Praying for you kid," Clark wrote.
Many others shared similar comments on the post. Jones will have plenty of support during this difficult time.
Jones previously retired from basketball following the injuries she endured after she was hit by a car in 2022. She initially attempted to return to basketball after suffering the injuries, as she had committed to Iowa women's basketball in 2022 before the tragic incident. However, she later made the decision to medically retire from the sport.
Iowa still decided to honor Jones' scholarship to the university. Jones has been working toward her degree as a student despite retiring from basketball.
The entire sports world has come together to support Jones following her devastating announcement. Jones has endured no shortage of adversity over the past few years.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Ava Jones and her family during this difficult time.