Former “Survivor: Palau” contestant Jennifer Lyon Lost her battle with breast cancer at age 37. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, the same year she finished filming on the reality show. A representative for the CBS network confirmed her death on Wednesday. She died in Oregon.

Lyon attended Portland State and Western Oregon for college, and graduated from Oregon State. During the filming of survivor, Lyon was a graduate student from Encino, California. She was also working as a nanny at the time.

After being diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer shortly after filming “Survivor”, Lyon had a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy treatments. She became an advocate for breast cancer awareness and attended many fundraisers to help raise money for research.

Lyon told People Magazine in October 2005 that she had felt something odd in her breast but had let it go for a long time, thinking it was scar tissue from her breast implant surgery. She also told the magazine that being on the reality show “Survivor” had given her the strength to battle the disease.

Fellow contestant Johnny Fairplay and “Survivor” host Jeff Probst have both publicly declared their sadness over the death of Jennifer Lyon.

Jennifer Lyon Loses Breast Cancer Battle