Breya Busby fell in love with the sport of basketball while playing with her 3 brothers from a very young age and began playing team ball at the age of 7. Her basketball jersey of choice was #4; she has played competitively year after year wearing her favorite number. Her God-given talent and skills developed as she became a fierce opponent catching the attention of many college coaches; Breya received her first Division 1 college basketball offer the summer before her freshman year in high school. By the time she was a sophomore, she had 13 Division 1 scholarship offers; her dream and goal to play basketball at the next level was coming true!
On January 17, 2020, Breya's dream seemed to dissipate. Without any previous signs or symptoms, she was diagnosed with Pre-B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Breya went from a completely healthy, future college athlete to one battling for her life. We were not sure what the future held, but God did! We trusted God's will, His plan, and His timing as Breya began to battle a new opponent. #4BB, signifying her basketball number and initials, became a tag for the fight Breya was set to battle. Thousands of prayers from the Charlotte area, the surrounding basketball community, and across the country were said. Local family, friends, churches, and schools, as well as people from across the country, including strangers, rallied behind Breya with immense support and love. Her twin brother, Skylar, created the tag #BeatItBreezy and the fight was on!
Breya's motto became: "Different game, different opponent, different fight...Same determination, same spirit, God's might!" The Bible verse she strongly embraced was Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Her innate strength, positivity, and radiant smile continued to show brightly as she took on the fight with grace, determination, resilience, and dignity, bringing hope and inspiration to those who knew her as well as many, many more who heard her story, followed her, and prayed from afar.
God provided a glimpse of hope and Breya began to see the light at the end of the tunnel as the chemotherapy treatment ushered her into remission. Her new tag was #BreezyBeatIt! In March of 2021, Breya decided to commit to Liberty University (LU) to further her academic and athletic career. In June of 2021, Breya reported for summer ball at Liberty University and continued to get stronger and closer to 100%. What a blessing it was to be back on the court doing what she loved after a year and a half away from the game.
To our dismay, in August of 2021, just 3 days into her freshman year at LU, Breya relapsed. The cancer was back with a vengeance. Again, the future seemed unclear, and her dream seemed to fade, but God!! He had a perfect plan, formed before she was even born. We would continue to trust God and have faith in His perfect plan, whatever that may be! We need only trust, believe, and wait on the Lord! After many months of failed treatments and unimaginable pain and suffering, and, from man's perspective, the future seamed bleak, God provided a way for Breya to receive CAR-T Treatment. On March 21, 2022, Breya underwent CAR-T and after a difficult 10-day hospital stay and battle in the ICU fighting for her life, God used the brilliant minds and hands of her amazing oncology team and nursing staff at Levine Children's Hospital to pull her through. After follow-up testing and labs were performed post-CAR-T, we heard the words we prayed for, "There is no evidence of disease!" To God by the Glory!! To this day, Breya remains in complete remission. God miraculously strengthened her body in record time for Breya to return to LU and report for summer ball again in June of 2022! After 2-1/2 years away from the game, #4 was back on the court living her dream!! A revised tag was enthusiastically embraced and shared; this time it was #BreezyBeatItAgain! We are praying for a safe and successful year for Breya and all college athletes! Always and forever #4BB!
