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Photo courtesy of Nell Fredella.
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Photo courtesy of Nell Fredella.
Mountain Brook High 10th grader Sean Fredella said he believes sports can help cure pediatric cancer. The four-time cancer survivor is putting his theory to the test Aug. 27 with the first annual Gold Ribbon Bowl flag football fundraiser.
Fredella and his “Sean Strong” board, a group of 10 other Mountain Brook students, have organized a co-ed 7-vs.-7 flag-football tournament to kick off the school year. Though players must be 10th grade students, all are encouraged to cheer on the teams at 9 a.m. at a location to be determined. Registration is $25 through Children’s of Alabama hospital, and all registration fees and additional donations will go to the Sean Strong fund.
“It seems like a lot of kids in our community have been affected by [pediatric cancer], so they just want to do something positive to help,” said Sean Fredella’s mother, Nell Fredella.
The Gold Ribbon Bowl is just one step in Fredella’s master plan to use sports to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer. His ultimate goal is for collegiate athletes, namely football players, to wear gold ribbons on their helmets during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in October, similar to how NFL players where pink cleats to promote breast cancer awareness. Fredella plans to reach out to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Samford University and Birmingham Southern College first, and then set his sight on larger SEC schools, Sean Fredella said.
“It’s going to take a long time to see that dream come to reality, but we’re starting locally,” Nell Fredella said.
Only 4 percent of cancer-research funds go to help fight pediatric cancer, and for Sean Fredella that simply is not enough.
He said he hopes events such as the Gold Ribbon Bowl will raise awareness for pediatric cancer and encourage people to spread the word through the hashtag #morethanfour.
All proceeds will be donated to the Sean Strong fund and Angel Pillowcases, an organization that provides jobs to women in Haiti who sew pillowcases gifted to cancer patients. To learn more about the fundraiser or donate to Sean Strong, go to give.childrensalabama.org/goldribbonbowl.
