Football players from The College of New Jersey work during the team's bone marrow registration drive on Wednesday in Ewing. (Photo courtesy of The College of New Jersey)
EWING – The College of New Jersey put a full blitz on cancer Wednesday afternoon.
Wearing home game jerseys, TCNJ football players took part in “Be The Match, Get In The Game, Save A Life’’ program. The donor registry drive was for marrow transplants. Players were positioned on campus handing out fliers and reminding students to take part, while others helped inside the Student Center handing out forms to be completed and administering swab samples.
Students, staff and faculty were encouraged to do so.
Second-year head football coach Wayne Dickens brought the program to TCNJ after having hosted it twice when he coached at Kentucky State. The entire team took part on Wednesday.
“I’ve always had in the back of my mind that if we could be the answer for just one person, then it’s worthwhile; to give a person a second chance at life. My guys have embraced that,’’ he said, “and if they could potentially be a match for one little kid, or an adult, they’d be delighted to do it.’’
More than 40 colleges throughout the country are participating. Dickens said that Yale University is currently the top school in registering volunteers with 761. New Jersey’s most productive school so far is Rowan, with 300.
That only added motivation to the cause, a simple swab sample from the mouth, sealed in an envelope and sent off to be tested for a perfect match.
“Yale is the ultimate goal,’’ said Hank Harvey, a player out of Northern Burlington High School. “But we have to at least beat Rowan. No way we’re losing to Rowan, so that’s the minimum.’’
Hopewell Valley High grad Sean Kley agreed, saying, “Of course you always want to beat Rowan. We have a great student population and we’re really counting on them and I know they’ll come out and support us. Not just us, but to, ‘Be The Match.’
“I think this is awesome,’’ he said about the team outing, which included a loud pep rally attended by the school pep band, cheerleaders and students who wandered in and out of Eickhoff Dining Hall. “Trying to make a difference, I’d want a chance to help someone, save them and do whatever I can.’’
Many of the players have been affected by cancer, either family or friends; Dickens as well with two family members currently in remission.
Senior-to-be Chris Spellman of Mount Laurel has a grandmother with breast cancer. A younger cousin of Nick Craig died of leukemia, and when lineman Ben Spinelli was in middle school a classmate died of the same disease.
“I also lost someone in the family from cancer, so this really hits home,’’ Spellman said. “Cancer really affects everybody in the world. This is one simple way to help.’’
“Be The Match’’ was initiated by Villanova football coach Andy Talley in 2008. Since its inception more than 52,000 new registry members have been recruited with the aid of more than 50 college football teams. To date, some 200 registry members have honored their commitment to save a life by donating their bone marrow to a patient in need.
“Oh my god, this is fantastic,’’ Harvey said about participating. “You can’t say anything less about it. I love it. I mean, what else do you wanna do? There is no better way to spend your time than doing this.’’
Ad Choices