Dribble for the Cure Tops $100K Again
October 16, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Bruin Athletics
LOS ANGELES โ For the ninth straight year, UCLA Athletics, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) and UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital raised more than $100,000 in the pursuit to eliminate childhood cancer at the annual Dribble for the Cure event on the UCLA campus.
The 12th installment of the event has generated more than $137,000, with donations still being accepted HERE.
Also, new for 2019, is the Dribble for the Cure online auction, which can be accessed HERE through Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. Items include a Russell Westbrook autographed basketball and various UCLA basketball and football gameday experiences. All proceeds go to the Cancer Research Program at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital and its efforts to eliminate childhood cancer.
On the morning of Sunday, Oct. 13, over 700 participants convened on Drake Stadium. UCLA student-athletes from a variety of sports distributed an assortment of giveaways, as well as prizes to top earners.
Eight honorary team captains, who fought or are fighting pediatric cancer, had their presence heavily felt. Kenny (age 15), Hannah (13), Alexa (11), Grayson (8), Leone (5), Harmon (3) and Thatcher (5) made their way along the approximately one-mile course, each paired with a UCLA basketball student-athlete. Lucas (10) and Skye (4) were also recognized, but not present.
Hope was again the theme, as the message was spread by speakers throughout the day. Captain Kenny joined Dr. Theodore B. Moore, Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at UCLA, to tell his story of survival and how studies like those made possible by Dribble for the Cure aided his fight.
"None of us can live without hope," said Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach Mick Cronin. "We can give hope down to all these kids; they are the definition of toughness.
"Sports is a great thing and it is very synonymous with cancer in this: cancer doesn't care about your age or your color or your religion, but in sportsโฆ we come together for a common goal to try to help each other achieve our dreams, coaches trying to help young people, athletes trying to help athletes, be there for each other. It's the time of their lives. We need to be the same team and have the same attitude like we have today towards pediatric cancer."
Different eras of UCLA basketball were on hand, ranging from UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer John Vallely to Cronin, who is entering his first season at the helm of the men's program. Vallely played on NCAA Championship Teams in 1969 and 1970 under John Wooden and has credited his former coach with instilling a giving spirit in his teams and others that have followed.
"One of our core values for women's basketball is that we want our players to be lifestyle givers," said Michael Price Family UCLA Women's Head Basketball Coach Cori Close. "And this event right here is a part of us working together to build in the habit of waking up and saying 'I have an opportunity to give.'
"So we want to be a part of this, not just for one-time Dribble for the Cure, but as a daily thing. We want to give hope, we want to invest in each other and we want to do whatever it takes to raise awareness and finances so we can conquer pediatric cancer."
Wayne Kamemoto ($24,120) and Team Kamemoto ($26,174) once again collected the top individual and team awards. Sarah Senator ($15,390) and Ryan Bley ($12,000) also earned individual recognition, while Team Jackson ($17,683) and Dana Hills High School ($4,300) rounded out the trio of top-earning teams. Recording artist Zedd was also among the top individuals, donating $10,000 as part of his #GoodThingChallenge. SEIA served as the National Champion sponsor for the event.
In total, Dribble for the Cure at UCLA is approaching $2 million generated in its dozen years. In 2011, the cause spread to Queens, N.Y. and St. John's University, where the Red Storm's Dribble for the Cure has brought in approximately $700,000. PCRF has raised $44 million and granted out over $34 million to research since its establishment in 1982.