Help a Panther: Catching Up With Levon Kendall

As you know from our Pitt in the Pros section, we like to spotlight former Panthers here on the site, often to discuss fun things like big games in the NFL or new NBA contracts. On this occasion though, I wanted to draw attention to a Panther who’s dealing with some heartbreaking circumstances, and give our community a chance to lend some help.

Levon Kendall played basketball at Pitt from 2003-2007 and has spent the past several years playing overseas in Europe. During his Pitt career, the 6'-10" forward was a "do-everything" contributor on some really fun teams, and as a TV announcer may have mentioned once or twice, he once scored 40 points for Canada’s Under-21 team in a win over a United States squad that featured a number of future NBA stars.

In May, Kendall’s nine-month-old son Skyler was diagnosed with a brain tumor and, subsequently, with ependymoma, a rare form of cancer. With Skyler in the midst of a series of chemotherapy treatments in Toronto, Levon and his wife Alexandra have been forced to put their careers on hold as they focus on Skyler’s care. I encourage you to check out this article, which details what the Kendalls have been enduring over the past few months. It’s an unthinkable situation for any parents to go through, but they appear to be doing their best to keep spirits high.

The family has set up a GoFundMe to help offset some of the costs of treatment. Every little bit helps, so if you’re able, this would be a great chance to show one of our Panthers that our support extends beyond the court, especially in difficult times. Here's the link to their GoFundMe page.