As so often happens, it’s 2:00am and I find myself wide awake.  As usual the very first thing I do is check out my emails and start “playing” on the computer.  Tonight, as I was searching through some recent “tweets” and I found a connection to a pediatric cancer foundation I was previously unaware of the: Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation.  Yes, this is the same Tom Coughlin who coached the NY Giants to yet another beating of my beloved New England Patriots and yes, after visiting their website; www.tcjayfund.org I have developed a new appreciation and immense respect for Coach Coughlin.  

Ok, I grew up in Connecticut and when I was a kid I was a Big Giant fan and then along the way the AFL came and the next thing I know I’m cheering for the Patriots.  But that’s not the point.  It doesn’t matter what team you cheer for or don’t cheer for because in the long run it’s not about wearing your favorite team’s jersey that really matters.  You see, pediatric cancers don’t have a favorite team; the horrors of this disease don’t care if you’re rich, poor, white, black, male, female, republican or democrat. 

Pediatric cancers just try to kill everything in its path.  40,000 kids are currently battling the horrors of cancer and each year around 13,500 children are diagnosed with cancer in the United States alone.  One in every 330 Americans develops cancer before the age of twenty.  On an average day, 36 children and adolescents (around 46 per school day), are diagnosed with cancer.  One in every four elementary schools has a child with cancer.  The average high school has two students who are current or former cancer patients.  The incidence of invasive pediatric cancers is up 29% in the past 20 years and the causes of most childhood cancers are still unknown. And so sad to say; at present, childhood cancer cannot be prevented*.

Now those are some “stats” that will make any coach or fan cry.  So, if you’re a true NY Giant fan or New England fan or a fan of anything and you really want to support your team, make a donation to honor Coach Coughlin’s team or my son Brady’s team www.hugsforbrady.org and help save a kid’s life; Now that’s jersey to wear and be incredibly proud of…  Congratulations to Coach Couglin and the New York Giants!

*Thanks to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation and Kids v Cancer for sharing this information