Breast Cancer Awareness: A Mother’s Cascading Strength, Her Daughter Courtney Liddle Barbour’s Drive to Make a Difference

For Courtney Barbour, the month of October is special.

Recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month nationwide, the month means a lot more than wearing pink to the former Virginia Tech star.

Barbour’s mother, Susan Liddle, battled breast cancer twice—the first time was when Courtney was just seven years old. Courtney was a freshman in college when her mom got the call that the cancer had returned.

While her mom fought cancer through chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Courtney set a Virginia Tech freshman record with 11 home runs. The Hokies put together a Breast Cancer Awareness game that year and Susan Liddle threw out the ceremonial first pitch to her eldest daughter beforehand.

The athlete’s mother fought Stage IV cancer for four years and was able to be part of Courtney’s entire college career at Virginia Tech, as well as the first two years of younger daughter Bailey’s own career as a Hokie as well.

In October of 2013, though, Susan passed away at the age of 51.

“This ended her courageous battle with cancer, and began her joyful resurrection with her Heavenly Father,” Susan’s obituary read. “She was as close to being the “Team Mom” as one could be,” the obituary said of her status with the Hokies softball team.

In an interview during her Junior season, Courtney told a Roanoke reporter of her mom:

“If I can be as strong as her as a mother one day, that’s all I ask for.”

The athlete, coach and mom has had two kids of her own since then and lives with her family in Louisiana, where she is a high school teacher and a softball coach.

Later this month, Courtney will have to rely on her physical strength to complete a challenge that she took on as part of a fundraiser for a breast cancer charity. An avid Crossfit participant, she has spent the last several weeks fundraising for a cause called Barbells for Boobs.

“I’ve been following Barbells for Boobs on social media for years now,” the mother of two begins. “I love that their mission focuses on using fitness to help women feel mentally and physically healthy during and after their fight with breast cancer.”

“They also offer great opportunities for women to have real community and friendship with people who understand their struggle,” Courtney said. “This is something my mom didn’t have so much, and I think she would have loved that.”

Courtney set a fundraising goal of $1,000 and has already raised nearly 70 percent of that goal. For every $10 raised, she will complete a full rotation of a set of challenges that range from push-ups and sit-ups to “air squats” and “burpees.”

With the money that has been raised thus-far, the number of rotations to be completed is already up to 67 full, and she’s pledged to complete every last repetition within the same workout.

“I hope the workout is incredibly tough, because that means there’s a lot of money going to women who need it!” the former collegian adds. “Every time I’m struggling through a workout, or just experiencing any pain or sickness in my general life, I remember how my mom handled her chemo and radiation treatments.”

“I hear her voice and remember how minuscule the workout is compared to the war she waged. She attended every softball game and supported everyone around her, even when she was sick, exhausted, and weak. Every day she faced something much more difficult than any workout I could imagine, and yet she never gave up on making the world a better, more joyous place! If I can continue that mission and honor her memory through a workout and a fundraiser, I’ll do it a million times!”

On Courtney’s left wrist is a tattoo that spells out the word “Strength”. The “S” is in the shape of a pink ribbon, the symbol for breast cancer awareness.

It’s just one physical reminder of the battle that her mom bravely fought for many years.

When she is in the middle of her grueling workout on November 12th, a workout inspired by her desire to help others who are fighting the same battle that her mom did, you can bet that memories of Susan Liddle will fill the mind of the daughter who strived to have the same strength as her fighter of a mom.

To donate to Courtney Barbour’s fundraising campaign through Barbells for Boobs, please click here.

— Justin McLeod, Extra Inning Softball National College Editor