Lauren Hill, 19, dies from brain cancer

— -- Mount St. Joseph's freshman basketball player Lauren Hill, who touched millions and raised millions during her battle with pediatric brain cancer, died early Friday morning, it was announced. She was 19.

Brooke Desserich, co-founder of Hill's nonprofit foundation The Cure Starts Now, told The Associated Press that Hill died at a hospital on Friday.

Hill drew national attention when she played in a Division III basketball game with Mount St. Joseph on Nov. 2 despite suffering from an inoperable brain tumor diagnosed a year ago. She made layups for the first and last baskets of the game.

Hill's fight to not let her diagnosis dictate her final days rallied her Mount St. Joseph team behind her and convinced the NCAA and others to move up her team's season opener to allow her a chance to play.

She was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer -- Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) -- after her 18th birthday, while she was still a senior in high school.

Hill had raised over $2 million for her cause and was honored by the United States Basketball Writers Association last Sunday at the Final Four with the Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award.

"We are saddened to hear that our friend Lauren Hill has passed away this morning," The Cure Starts Now announced Friday on its Facebook page. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family during this difficult time."

"Through Lauren's fundraising and advocacy efforts she not only became a spotlight on the lack of funding for cancer research, but she most certainly has become a beacon guiding researchers for years to come."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.