Jill Costello
Jill Costello | |
|---|---|
Nineteen-year-old Costello at a Cal Bears Football Game | |
| Born | Jillian Helene Weinkauf Costello December 1, 1987 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | June 24, 2010 (aged 22) |
| Occupation(s) | Coxswain, activist |
| Years active | 2002–2010 |
| Parent(s) | Jim and Mary Costello |
Jillian Helene Weinkauf Costello (December 1, 1987 – June 24, 2010), better known simply as Jill Costello, was an American athlete and activist for lung cancer awareness and research. She is best known for leading the California Golden Bears crew as varsity coxswain while fighting against stage IV lung cancer. Costello was an otherwise healthy, 21-year-old non-smoker, when she was diagnosed with cancer. In 2011 she was inducted into both the NCAA Hall of Fame and the UC Berkeley Golden Bears Hall of Fame.