HAMILTON – Colgate football's Uplifting Athletes chapter is hosting its first awareness game this Saturday to highlight the group's support to help cure Ependymoma, a rare type of brain cancer.
Colgate hosts Bucknell in a 1 p.m. kickoff at Andy Kerr Stadium, and Colin Hayward is the team's special guest. The 6-year-old Ithaca boy has survived Ependymoma, and last week he attended a Raiders practice with his father, Ian, to meet the team that's helping fight his disease.
"At age 2, Colin was diagnosed with Ependymoma and he's been battling it ever since," said junior tailback
Jimmy DeCicco, Colgate's Uplifting Athletes chapter president. "All the odds were stacked against this little boy, and he didn't give up. He was told he would never walk again and never be able to talk – and he's out here playing football with us."
DeCicco said Colin's disease just happens to be the group's annual cause, and Colgate football team members have raised more than $20,000 toward a cure over the last two years. This is the first time his organization proposed an awareness game.
"This hits home for us because we've been raising money for this disease and a lot of the guys didn't really know what it was all about," DeCicco said. "To be able to see Colin in person is definitely something special. All the hard work we do, this makes it worthwhile."
Ian Hayward spoke to the team before last week's practice and relayed Colin's medical history and special moments of inspiration. He let the team know how unique it was that they were coming together for a common cause.
"Any time you take up a cause, you want to do something to be reminded of the goodness that results from coming together," Hayward said. "That raising money can be turned into something as incredible as giving a little kid his life back, that's special."
Raffle, Silent Auction
The direct Colgate Uplifting Athletes cause is the CERN Foundation, which stands for Collaborative Ependymoma Research Network. That group is dedicated to researching and curing this rare form of brain cancer.
"Colin's message to us was to never quit," DeCicco said. "After all he's been through, if that doesn't tell you not to quit then I don't know what will."
Colin and his family – father, Ian; mother, Tamika; and 10-year-old brother, Aidan – are being honored at Saturday's game against Bucknell. Tickets are available at Reid Athletic Center Ticket Office, via BleedColgateMaroon.com, or by calling 315-228-7600.
In addition, there will be a raffle of goods and gift certificates from local businesses along with a silent auction of autographed memorabilia, including an Aaron Rogers football, 1977 New York Yankees team ball and much more. Uplifting Athletes is selling T-shirts all week at the Colgate Coop (O'Connor Campus Center) and will be selling them at the game. Price is $15.
"We're hoping it's a big turnout against Bucknell and we're really excited Colgate has adopted this cause and adopted Colin onto the team," Hayward said.
For more information or to make a donation, email colgate@upliftingathletes.org.
