North Carolina State University Athletics
PEELER: Pack Players Sacrifice For BC's Herzlich
10/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH, N.C. – For the last several weeks, NC State's football players have voluntarily given up their meal money to help raise funds for the Boston College chapter of Uplifting Athletes. They are doing it in support of BC football player Mark Herzlich, the 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, who was diagnosed in May with a rare form of cancer and is not playing this season while undergoing treatments.
Prior to Saturday's 4 p.m. home football game against Duke, the members of the NC State dance team will collect money at all entry gates of Carter-Finley Stadium to add to the players' donation, which has so far topped more than $2,000. Fans are encouraged to make donations, large or small, to help in the fight against rare diseases, which are defined as any one of the 7,000 illnesses that affect fewer than 200,000 Americans.
All funds raised by the team and by fans will be presented at next Saturday's NC State-Boston College game in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
NC State sophomore quarterback Russell Wilson says that the team's sacrifice is not that big, but the players hope it can make a difference.
"He deserves that support," Wilson said. "He's a great player and has a great effect on the ACC. Every dollar counts and we want to do what we can to help.
"We hope he can get back on the field soon."
Herzlich, who was recruited to BC by current NC State football coach Tom O'Brien, was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare cancer that affects large bones and soft tissues. His teammates, with the help of the campus chapter of Uplifting Athletes, sprang into action to raise $31,541 for Ewing's sarcoma research.
In recent weeks, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has donated $5,000 from his All-In Foundation to the cause. Virginia Tech's players sold Uplifting Athletes wristbands for $1 each on campus and throughout Lane Stadium during recent home games, in hopes of raising $5,094, in honor of Herzlich's No. 94 jersey.
Florida State donated $9,400 to the foundation and the Orange Bowl presented the BC chapter of Uplifting Athletes with a check during the Boston College-Wake Forest football game.
In all, the school's chapter has raised more than $50,000 for Ewing's sarcoma.
Scott Shirley, a former Penn State football player, is proud of the ACC's contributions to Uplifting Athletes, the organization he founded with his teammates in 2003, in honor of his father's fight against a rare kidney cancer. What began as a simple power-lifting competition to raise money has now become a national organization, with chapters at Penn State, Ohio State, Maryland, Colgate and Boston College.
Each chapter chooses a rare disease research project to support and raises money to support that cause.
Herzlich's inspirational story has touched many, including the O'Brien and the Wolfpack family.
"We are going to see if everybody here can do something for him and his foundation," O'Brien said at his weekly press conference.
What impresses Shirley about NC State's unique approach to raising funds is that the players are leading the way.
"I think that is the great part of the story," Shirley said. "We are very much about empowering the players to take advantage of the position they are in to raise money that will help people with rare diseases. It's nice to get the money and the P.R., but I like the face that at Virginia Tech the players were involved in raising money and I love that the NC State players are putting a little skin in the game with their meal money."
Fans can also participate by making donations on behalf of their schools, through Uplifting Athletes' ACC Challenge. Donate here on behalf of NC State.
"What I really hope is that all the teams involved can find a rare disease they can be involved in, to help them get chapters started on their campuses so they can ultimately benefit from the experience themselves," Shirley said. "That coordinated effort makes a big difference."
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
