NFL HEALTH UPDATE—OCTOBER 23, 2014
STEELERS PLAYER INTRODUCES RUSAFE APP FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS
Last week, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback William Gay and the Women's Center & Shelter of Greater held a press conference to introduce the RUSafe app. The app helps those identify if they are a victim of domestic violence and then connects them to a local hotline.
Gay's mother, Carolyn Hall, was killed due to domestic violence. "I am just glad we are talking about it from the top of the league to the bottom," said Gay of the increased awareness of it in the NFL.
Gay is the national spokesman for RUSafe. The app is available in the Pittsburgh area and will be available nationwide starting November 1, via smartphone app stores.
CHIEFS PLAYER JOINS FIGHT AGAINST EBOLA
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali recently joined with Heart to Heart International (HHI) as it announced the opening of an Ebola Treatment Unit in Kakata, Liberia. The unit will offer 70 beds for patients suffering from the disease and is set to open in November. Hali, a Liberian native, pledged a sum of $50,000 to Heart to Heart in support of this vital outreach initiative. HHI is a non-governmental organization that responds to health crises and natural disasters, both in the United States and internationally, supplying medical relief and mobilizing volunteers.
For more information about the treatment center or to donate to the unit, visit hearttoheart.org.
BILLS HOST ANNUAL BILLIEVE WEEKEND
Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) and Buffalo Bills players EJ Manuel, C.J. Spiller, Corey Graham, Kyle Williams, Scott Chandler and Dan Carpenter recently hosted the ninth annual Billieve event at Niagara Falls, supporting the American and Canadian Cancer Society.
Bills players and participants walked from the Hard Rock Café to the Rainbow Bridge where they formed the International PINKTOBER Living Ribbon, stretching from Niagara Falls, NY, to Niagara Falls, Ont., uniting two nations in the battle against breast cancer. While on the bridge, Bills players flipped a giant switch and Niagara Falls was illuminated pink as part of a special ceremony.
"This has been an event that my wife and I have been able to attend for three or four years in a row now," said Chandler. "Her mom, my mother-in-law, is a breast cancer survivor and she got to come to the event and be on the field with the survivors as we ran out onto the field. So this is something we're big supporters of and we love being there for the survivors here tonight."
Billieve weekend continued during Sunday's game, with two youth football teams playing in a halftime scrimmage donning pink uniforms, spreading both breast cancer awareness and the Heads Up Football message. Almost 50 breast cancer survivors were recognized on-field during the game including Manuel's mom, Jackie Manuel.
BUCCANEERS HOST ANNUAL TREASURE CHESTS 5K RUN/WALK & CORPORATE CHALLENGE
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers recently hosted the second annual Treasure Chests 5K Run/Walk & Corporate Challenge, in support of breast cancer research and patient services, benefitting the American Cancer Society, the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation, the Florida Hospital Foundation and Moffitt Cancer Center.
More than 3,000 race participants received a special welcome by Glazer Family Foundation co-president Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, before Pamela Fay and Dr. Paula O'Neil helped kick off the race as the event's Honorary Race Starters. Fay and Dr. O'Neil were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, and they continue to inspire others as they fight the deadly disease.
Registration included a ticket to Sunday's game, an athletic gender-specific t-shirt, chipped race bib, and donation to breast cancer research and patient services. In addition, the first 500 to register were invited on the field to be part of the halftime experience, alongside the Buccaneers Cheerleaders.
PATRIOTS HONOR BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS IN PREGAME CEREMONY
The Kraft family and New England Patriots honored more than 160 breast cancer survivors and their caregivers during a recent pregame ceremony at Gillette Stadium to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the NFL's "A Crucial Catch" campaign.
The survivors and caregivers wore pink t-shirts and formed a breast cancer awareness ribbon at midfield during team introductions and the national anthem. Among those on the field during the ceremony was Foxborough resident and breast cancer survivor, Patty Noonan.
"This was absolutely an awesome experience and a very special moment for me and the other survivors," said Noonan, 53. "It gets you teary-eyed, but having the crowd cheering us on out there was truly amazing and makes you feel better."
-- NFL Communications