Jillion Potter credits her wife Carol for helping her through life-changing trauma.
Jillion Potter credits her wife Carol for helping her through life-changing trauma.
jillion potter
The American rugby star has overcome a broken neck and then cancer.
The American rugby star has overcome a broken neck and then cancer.
jillion potter
Potter (center) is known as one of the toughest tacklers on the women's sevens circuit.
Potter (center) is known as one of the toughest tacklers on the women's sevens circuit.
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She is now hoping to be selected in the U.S. team for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
She is now hoping to be selected in the U.S. team for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Todd Warshaw/Getty Images North America/Getty Images for the USOC
After breaking her neck in 2010, Potter feared she would never play rugby again. "I was in a neck brace for a while," she says. "Part of my right side was pretty atrophied, it was one inch smaller, maybe a little bit more, which was interesting."
After breaking her neck in 2010, Potter feared she would never play rugby again. "I was in a neck brace for a while," she says. "Part of my right side was pretty atrophied, it was one inch smaller, maybe a little bit more, which was interesting."
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Potter says the values rugby instilled in her also helped her fight against cancer, having been diagnosed in 2014.
Potter says the values rugby instilled in her also helped her fight against cancer, having been diagnosed in 2014.
Todd Warshaw/Getty Images North America/Getty Images for the USOC
"Chemo was hard. You lose your physical identity with losing your hair, your eye lashes -- and as an athlete my muscles were getting smaller, I was losing weight, I couldn't train."
"Chemo was hard. You lose your physical identity with losing your hair, your eye lashes -- and as an athlete my muscles were getting smaller, I was losing weight, I couldn't train."
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"I was really in disbelief about how many people supported me around the world. I'm so grateful."
"I was really in disbelief about how many people supported me around the world. I'm so grateful."
jillion potter
"I've never been to the Olympics -- none of us have -- but we've got a great team behind us ... everyone is doing everything they can to prepare us for the Olympics."
"I've never been to the Olympics -- none of us have -- but we've got a great team behind us ... everyone is doing everything they can to prepare us for the Olympics."
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