CHAPEL HILL (WTVD) -- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Women's Head Basketball Coach Sylvia Hatchell spoke publicly Friday about her year-long battle against leukemia.
She was so open about her diagnosis - which she described as a bad dream - and her fight to recover during the 10th Annual Roy Williams "Fast Break Against Cancer" breakfast and live auction in an effort to raise money for the center that treated her.
"You don't have the choice that you have cancer, but you have the choice of how you deal with it," Hatchell said.
Pictures of a bald but smiling Hatchell lined the court at the Dean Smith Center as she and Williams helped auction off items to benefit the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Coach Hatchell said next Saturday will be a year since she was diagnosed and fought through chemotherapy to get back her health.
"I mean, I look back and I'm just like, 'Wow,' you know," she said. "When I look at that and think that I would have to go through that, I would say there's just no way. You don't realize how strong you can be until strong is all you have."
Hatchell said she worked out every single day while thinking about the bigger picture.
"The players -- to get back to the team," she said. "You don't realize how much something means to you until it's taken away and especially how it was, overnight."
The director of the Lineberger Cancer Center said they want to be able to help anyone with cancer like they helped Coach Hatchell.
"It affects everyone," Dr. Ned Sharpless said. "We have young children, husbands, wives, daughters, sons, rich people, poor people .. It really doesn't discriminate."
Meanwhile, Hatchell announced she is in full remission and ready for basketball.
"I've already warned the ACC office," she said. "I said, 'I will probably get a technical every game cause I will be so fired up.' I mean, I'm going to have to control myself because I will be so excited about being back out there."
Coach Hatchell said she is going to kick off the basketball season and celebrate her remission with barbecue and a band.
The fundraiser has helped raise more than $1.6 million so far.