Gator student-athletes host 9th annual Climb for Cancer Saturday
Saturday, September 27, 2014 | Soccer
Climb for Cancer photo gallery by Tim Casey
The treatments causing the bald heads or surgery scars were far from the thoughts of the 80 children at the University of Florida athletic facilities Saturday morning.
Today the focus was sharing the fun of sports. The 150 Gator student-athletes who served as Climb for Cancer counselors were there to ensure that goal.
Goal accomplished, according to four-year-old Contrell Graham of Gainesville.
He recalled all the different sports he participated in today – basketball, soccer, lacrosse. He even held a cup of Gatorade for Loosey, Gator soccer coach Becky Burleigh's dog, to lap.
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| Contrell Graham (center) held a lacrosse stick for the first time Saturday. |
It was a big day for Graham, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment at UF Health Shands Hospital for a brain tumor which was diagnosed at age one and a half.
“I had fun today,” he said. “I liked meeting the Gators.”
Ron Farb organizes the event each year through his Climb for Cancer Foundation, which raises money to help the families of children with cancer. Today was the ninth annual for the event which brings together children undergoing cancer treatment with Gator student-athletes.
“These children climb Mount Everest every day of their lives. Just to give them a chance to forget about their illness for a few hours and come out here and have fun is so important,” Farb said. “Each year, we look forward to it very much.”
Ron and his wife Dianne aren't the only ones who look forward to the event.
“This is one of our favorite days of the year. We really like to come out and play with the kids. We hope that we have a positive effect on their day. We love to see the look on their faces when they get to score goals and play soccer or sports they just tried today. It is fun to teach them different sports,” senior goalkeeper Taylor Burke said. “It is fun for us too.”
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| Desi Garrison (right) and her brother Gage Garrison enjoyed meeting and playing sports with the Gator student-athletes. |
Six-year-old Desi Garrison of Port Orange, Florida, has her leukemia treatments at Orlando's Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. The leukemia, which was diagnosed last September, is currently in remission. Allman is making plans to come back to the 2015 Climb for Cancer edition.
“We played football, soccer and basketball,” Allman said. “Playing soccer with the athletes was fun.”
Holly Garrison brought Desi's step-brother Gage Garrison from Winter Park to join his sister for the morning of fun with the Gator student-athletes.
“I am so impressed with the Gators' strength, grace and kindness. They are not on their phones. They are present. They are all having a great time with the kids,” Garrison said. “This is such a beautiful event. All day I just find myself smiling.”
