Arthur Ashe Courage Award 2013: Robin Roberts Earns Prestigious ESPYs Honor

Robin Roberts became the latest honoree to win the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2013 ESPY Award show. 

The award, which has been handed out since 1993, honors those who "reflect the spirit of Arthur Ashe, possessing strength in the face of adversity, courage in the face of peril and the willingness to stand up for their beliefs no matter what the cost."

Roberts certainly qualifies. 

The former Good Morning America personality has been a trailblazer for women in broadcasting. Roberts joined ESPN as an anchorwoman on SportsCenter in 1990 and earned three Emmy Awards for her work at ESPN.

Beyond her pioneering role for women in broadcasting, Roberts is a two-time survivor of life-threatening illness.

Per ESPN, Roberts was fist diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, which she bravely fought through to provide inspiration to the millions who are familiar with her television work. In 2012, she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome—an illness that would require a bone marrow transplant from her sister, Sally-Ann Roberts. 

Once again, she beat the odds to show what can be accomplished with an unrelenting spirit. 

Roberts, 52, was a fierce competitor as an athlete as well. She was a star for the Southeastern Louisiana University basketball team and a 2012 inductee to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Roberts joins an illustrious group of individuals who have been honored with the award, including Pat Tillman, Jim Valvano, Muhammad Ali and Billie Jean King.