Thanks to our sponsors and continued community support Badge Bowl VIII was another great success raising over $35,000.
The Badge Bowl is a flag football game to benefit the Foundation of Courage, a non-profit organization supporting children in the Bay area with cancer. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be placed in a secured account to benefit a child from the Tampa Bay area that is fighting this life-threatening disease.
This year's recipient of the Taylor Dumke Courage Award was 5-year-old Avery Ralston. Avery was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) in January of 2008. Avery started feeling bad throughout the summer and fall of 2007. He was experiencing pain all over including in his arms and belly. Avery went for many tests and saw several doctors before he was formally diagnosed.
During this time Avery's mother Ashley was pregnant with her third son, Andrew and gave birth on December 28, 2007.
Initally, the blood tests taken early on in the process did not show Leukemia but once the disease progressed and became acute the blood work confirmed it was Leukemia. Ashley received word to come to the doctors office and Avery was immediately sent to St. Joseph's Children’s Hospital for treatment.
Avery is coming up on the second anniversary of his diagnosis and will undergo treatment for approximately three years. Ashley, Avery's mother is dedicating her time and energy to caring for Avery and getting him back and forth to his treatments. Avery's support system is his mother, Ashley, grandmother, Rachel, and two brothers, Austin 8 and Andrew 1 all are doing their best to cope. However, the family has suffered some major set backs over the years. Avery's father, Troy, passed away in 2005.
For information on how you can help support the Foundation of Courage or the Badge Bowl event, contact The Foundation of Courage, President Mike Pease at (813) 767-9042 or via email at apeasepod@verizon.net.
Click here to see commemerative images from previous Badge Bowl events.
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