'Survivor' contestant dies from cancer
By Marisa Fox, PEOPLE.com
January 20, 2010 5:57 p.m. EST

(PEOPLE.com) -- Jennifer Lyon, who placed fourth on "Survivor: Palau" in 2005, died at her home in Oregon Tuesday night, PEOPLE has confirmed. She was 37.

The reality TV star was first diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer a few months after she wrapped "Survivor," and opted for a modified, radical bilateral mastectomy, followed by courses of chemotherapy and tamoxifen, a drug used to prevent recurrence.

"In the summer of 2004, I felt something in my right breast that didn't feel normal," Lyon told PEOPLE in October 2005. "I thought it was probably scar tissue related to my breast implants. So I let it go -- for a long time."

Being on the CBS competition boosted her spirits and provided an inner strength to battle her disease. " 'Survivor' taught me there's an end in sight," she told PEOPLE. "As hard as it is, it will be over, and you have to appreciate every day."

Survivor host Jeff Probst said that "near the end" he and Lyon spoke "about the idea that death is such a hard subject and so many of us simply don't know what is appropriate to say, so we end up saying the wrong thing for all the right reasons."

"If I learned anything from Jenn it is this: Don't be afraid to ask someone how they are truly feeling about dying," Probst says. "Don't shy away from the scary parts of death. They need someone to talk to about what is going on inside their head. Most importantly, encourage them to let go of the expectations of others and give them permission to do what is right for them, even if it means letting go"

Her "Survivor" castmates remember her as kind and courageous.

"She is the model of grace, and has been so brave," fellow contestant Ian Rosenberger told PEOPLE at the "Survivor" 10th-anniversary party on January 9.

Despite her illness, Lyons hosted many fundraisers for breast cancer research. Most recently, she opened a Christmas tree lot with proceeds designated to her cause.

Jeff Probst remembers 'Survivor: Palau' contestant Jennifer Lyon
by Archana Ram
Categories: In Memoriam, News, Survivor

As Survivor’s 20th season approaches, one of the series’ stars, Jennifer Lyon, who placed fourth in the Palau season, lost her battle with stage-three breast cancer Tuesday at age 37. Survivor host Jeff Probst developed an instantaneous connection with Lyon, and with contributions from Lyon’s family, he shared this story about their friendship:

“Jenn and I got reconnected a couple of years ago and became very close, very fast. She shared with me the highs and the lows and the constant choices she and her family faced regarding her treatment.

“When you cut through the social barriers that so often hamper us, it’s amazing how quickly you can become close with someone. Jenn made it very easy. She didn’t have any interest in wasting time.

“Because the previous Christmas had been so rough, this year she decided to open a Christmas tree lot so she could extend the holidays for as long as possible. Then in typical Jenn fashion she made the decision to donate profits to the Susan Love Cancer Research Foundation. The tree lot was a major undertaking yet there she was every day doing her part to try to raise money to make sure nobody else had to ever endure the same struggle.”

Kim Lyon: ‘Jenn worked so hard on the lot and they were kind of bummed they didn’t make much money off of it so if anyone wants to honor Jenn they can make a donation to the foundation. She would be touched.’

Probst: “Over the past several weeks we had some beautiful talks about life and death. Jenn was so willing to share what she was feeling, including the very real and very scary parts of dealing with terminal cancer.


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