COLUMBUS, Ohio � Stefanie Spielman, the wife of NFL and Ohio State star Chris Spielman who led a public fight against breast cancer, died Thursday after a lengthy battle with the disease. She was 42.

Stefanie Spielman died at the family�s home in Upper Arlington, surrounded by her family, said WBNS radio in Columbus, where Chris Spielman co-hosts a show.
�Stefanie has gone home to be with the Lord,� Chris Spielman said in a statement released by the station. �For that, we celebrate, but with broken hearts. I want to thank everyone for their support over the last 12 years. Together, with your help, hopefully we made a difference in this fight.�
Stefanie Spielman was 30 years old and three months pregnant in 1998 when she detected a lump in her breast. She later miscarried and discovered she had cancer. She survived four bouts with cancer before a fifth recurrence in March.
Chris Spielman was playing linebacker with the Buffalo Bills when he decided to give up football for a year to stay home with his wife and children. When his wife lost her hair because of chemotherapy treatments, he shaved his head.
�People say �It�s a great thing that you�re doing,�� Chris Spielman said at the time. �I always say it would be a terrible thing if I didn�t.�
The Spielmans became advocates for breast-cancer detection and research, winning several awards for their dedication to the cause. They raised more than $6 million for breast cancer research at Ohio State, where she also had attended school, through the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research.
She helped form a support group for young women with breast cancer, hosted an annual event that honored cancer survivors and created a fund to help breast cancer patients and their families who struggled financially. She was inducted into the Ohio Women�s Hall of Fame in 2002 for her work.
�We have lost a leader in the fight against cancer,� seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong said. �Stefanie was a living example of courage and strength to everyone around her.�
Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel called Stefanie Spielman an inspiration.
�Stefanie has inspired the entire Buckeye nation and Columbus community with her courage and strength,� Tressel said in a statement. �We will miss her and will always remember the lessons we learned from her. She will always be a special Buckeye.�
Two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, the president and CEO of the Ohio State Alumni Association, said Stefanie Spielman was a compassionate person who �took her personal struggle and used it as a platform to help other women battling breast cancer.� He said the Ohio State community was �tremendously saddened� by her death.
Chris Spielman played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills before retiring after a violent hit that left him momentarily paralyzed when he was with the Cleveland Browns.
Stefanie Spielman is survived by her husband and their four children, Madison, Noah, Macy and Audrey.