LSU's Flau'jae Johnson first ever Kay Yow Servant Leader of the Year award winner
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Kay Yow Cancer Fund has named LSU women’s basketball standout Flau’jae Johnson the first-ever Kay Yow Servant Leader of the Year, presented by John and Sue Gibbs.
Selected from 66 Servant Leaders representing 23 conferences nationwide, the award recognizes the student-athlete whose leadership, service and overall impact rise above — including meaningful contributions to the fight against all cancers affecting women.
A two-time Kay Yow Servant Leader, Johnson is being honored for her extraordinary commitment to servant leadership, using her platform to support women and families facing cancer while uplifting her broader community through hands-on service and advocacy. In recognition of her impact, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund will award a $25,000 grant in her name supporting access to cancer care for under-resourced women in Baton Rouge and the surrounding area.
“Flau’jae represents exactly what this award stands for,” said Jenny Palmateer, CEO of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. “She competes at the highest level, but more importantly, she leads with heart. She understands her platform is bigger than basketball, and she uses it to make a real difference.”
Johnson’s service reflects a deep, personal commitment to action. Through LSU’s Play4Kay initiative, she pledged $1 for every LSU student in attendance to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. She has hosted back-to-school giveback events, made a personal donation to expand mobile mammography access in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia, and provided direct support to families through rent assistance, vehicle giveaways, and holiday shopping initiatives.
“Flau’jae’s impact goes far beyond the court,” said Bob Starkey, LSU assistant coach and Kay Yow Cancer Fund board member. “She doesn’t serve for recognition. She serves because she genuinely cares. That’s what makes her special.”
In her honor, the $25,000 grant will support expanded access to preventative cancer screenings for breast, colorectal, and skin cancer for women in Louisiana.
Each year, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund recognizes women’s collegiate basketball players nominated by their coaches for exemplifying Coach Kay Yow’s values of leadership, integrity, selflessness, and service.
The Servant Leader of the Year distinction represents the highest honor among those leaders. The Servant Leader program has grown significantly, expanding from 26 honorees in 2024–25 to 66 this season across NCAA and NJCAA programs. Each honoree wears a Servant Leader patch on her jersey, symbolizing a commitment to service that defines Coach Yow’s legacy.
About the Kay Yow Cancer Fund
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund was officially founded on December 3, 2007, from the vision of the organization’s namesake, Kay Yow, former NC State University head women’s basketball coach.
Coach Yow was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 before succumbing to the disease on January 24, 2009. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to raising money for life-saving cancer research, underserved programs that provide access to quality cancer healthcare, and uniting people in the fight against all cancers affecting women. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund has awarded $8.78 million in the fight against all cancers affecting women. For more information on the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, or to donate, please visit KayYow.com.
