Dan Lanning, Wife Sauphia Detail Personal Cancer Fight Driving Research Push

During the 2026 offseason, Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning isn't just busy on the recruiting trail, taking seven of his players to Japan for a unique showcase, or preparing for the season ahead, he was also rallying the Duck fan community around a good cause.

In a recent interview with Lorna Day, the executive director of the Sam Day Foundation, Lanning and his wife Sauphia Lanning spoke about their lasting support of the organization which includes Lanning's Cameo account and the inaugural Sam Day Classic.

May 8,2017; Memphis, TN, USA; Sauphia and Dan Lanning bow their heads as Braxton Brady (not pictured), director of player relations for the University of Memphis, prays for them at the West Cancer Center on Monday. Lanning, the inside linebackers coach for the University of Memphis, has stood by his wife as she's fought osteosarcoma, a rare, aggressive form of cancer, for nearly a year. On Monday, she had a bell-ringing ceremony to signify the end of her active treatment. Mandatory Credit: | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Dan And Sauphia Lanning Speak About Support For Sam Day Foundation

"It's not easy to, you know, be a survivor, but you're also very grateful to still be here," Sauphia said in the interview, called "One Day" on the Sam Day Foundation Youtube channel. This video is the first in a series of videos, highlighting the foundation's impact on those fighting cancer, specifically children.

The Sam Day Foundation was created in honor of Sam Day, who was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma at age 9 and died in August 2016 after battling the disease for six years. The foundation says it has committed more than $2.7 million to research since launching in 2018, including recent clinical trials for new drugs to fight the disease which Day shared the foundation is pushing to bring to the Northwest.

"I think you hit on something that's so important," Lanning said. "You know, anybody that's dealt with cancer all of a sudden you think of something that's so worldwide, but then you realize how the treatment is so regional."

Sauphia Lanning's Story

Over the course of the 30-minute interview, the Lanning's shared their story of Sauphia fighting a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma when Dan was an inside linebackers coach for Memphis. Though Sauphia had her last treatment for the cancer in 2017, she vividly recalled the events leading up to her diagnosis and the symptoms she had while taking medicine to fight the disease including losing weight, thinning nails, and shedding her hair.

Sauphia shared that the knee surgery she underwent while fighting the disease, which Dan dubbed "a knee replacement on steroids" felt like her knee was placed on her body backwards due to the procedure's intensity. Her and Dan shared that the way they navigate life long term has changed, as over 90 percent of patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma have lasting health issues.

Sep 2, 2023; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning walks off the field with his wife, Sauphia, after a game against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

"I guess I wish [people] knew, I mean, there's still care needed afterwards," Sauphia said. "Sometimes I feel like they think, 'Okay, you're finished. Like, you've made it. You're great.' But there's still a lot to be done and they still need help after."

"I would brag on the people that administer the work," Dan added. "You know, I think the nurses were so unbelievable for Sauphia. But the days of going through that, I mean, the crying, the upset stomach. I mean, that's just, it's a lot to carry over. And I think if anything, it would be is there a way to find treatments that people can handle and it doesn't do the damage that some of these treatments do."

Oregon's head coach Dan Lanning gestures before the game against Texas Tech, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Sam Day Open

Day also asked the Lannings about their continued support for the foundation, which included hosting the Sam Day Open at the Eugene Country Club in May. Dan shared that the two felt hesitant about partnering with foundations due to time constraints, but collaborating with the Sam Day Foundation was too personal of an issue to pass up.

"I've been through all the treatments and I went through it when I was 29, so I was a lot older and I mean, stronger than some of these young kids that are going through it and I just can't imagine doing it at such a young age," Sauphia said when asked about her support for the organization.

"One day I hope there's a world without cancer," Sauphia added.

"I couldn't say it better," Dan followed up.

In June, Lanning extended his tenure on the video message platform, Cameo, after raising $50,000 for the foundation. According to Lanning's Cameo on Tuesday, he is now 55 percent towards his new goal of $100,000,

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