Former Southern Illinois University distance runner Emily Settle passed away late Sunday night after a prolonged battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). She was 24 years old.

Settle became sick during her freshman year of college at Southern Illinois University after some unusually difficult runs left her feeling more fatigued than normal in April of 2016. The Westfield, Ind. product ran in five meets during her freshman cross country season and later competed in three outdoor meets that season.

SIU Athletics offers its thoughts and prayers to the Settle family. The Settle family has requested, in lieu of flowers, to make a donation to the Emily Settle Fund. Donations can be made online at emilysettlefund.com. The fund helps young cancer patients in the Indiana area pay for treatment-related transportation and/or lodging costs (e.g., parking; tolls; gas; plane, train, or bus tickets; hotels or temporary housing).