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Mar 30, 2019
Because of inclement weather, Dick Vitale was
unable to land in Lincoln on the day of the
Team Jack Gala. Dr. Tom Osborne took the
audible and ran with it! His message of "tell the
truth, keep your promises, develop a culture
where everyone, regardless of stature, feels that
you care about them" was met with deep
appreciation and a standing ovation. The Foundation
was grateful to coach Osborne for spending his
82nd birthday at the gala and stepping up
when they needed him.
Despite
heavy snowfall on Feb. 23, the Team Jack Foundation held its sixth annual gala
at Lincoln’s Embassy Suites and raised approximately $460,000 for pediatric
brain cancer research, making the 2019 event the largest to date.
Guests
from across the state, and even nation, attended the annual event in Downtown
Lincoln. Super Bowl
champion and Team Jack board member Rex Burkhead welcomed the crowd,
followed by the invocation by Ron Brown, director of player development for
Nebraska football.
Rick
Allen, a Grand Island native and NBC NASCAR announcer, handled the event’s
emcee duties for the second consecutive year and added his auctioneering skills
to call the live auction. Joining him during the auction was former Husker and
current Buffalo Bill Jeremiah Sirles.
To
give those in attendance an update on the research investments made by the
Foundation, Brianna Hoffman, Team Jack co-founder and scientific advisory
committee member, detailed the Team Jack projects. To date, the Foundation has
committed $8 million to eight projects, both nationally and regionally. For
more details on Team Jack’s research investments, visit teamjackfoundation.org/research.
Dr.
Jonathan Schwartz, pediatric neuro-oncologist from UNMC/Children’s Hospital
& Medical Center, followed up Hoffman's update with specifics on the
Pediatric Brain Tumor Program in Omaha. The Team Jack Foundation has committed
$6.5 million to this program to help make Omaha a center of excellence for
families affected by pediatric brain cancer.
The
Team Jack Foundation announced Mark and Karen Carson and Fat Brain Toys as the
2018 Teammate of the Year Award recipient. In addition to Fat Brain Toys being
the Gala Presenting Sponsor for the fourth straight year, it also presented a
$22,209 check to Team Jack from its annual “Round Up for Team Jack” campaign,
which gives online shoppers an opportunity to round up one dollar for Team Jack
at the time of checkout.
Each
year, a highlight of the gala is to feature a child that has been affected by
brain cancer. This year, presented by The Home Agency, the Spotlight story
featured Nathan Waggoner, who passed away in 2010 at age 17 from DIPG, the
deadliest form of pediatric brain cancer. The Home Agency and the Jim and Sharri
Baldonado Family presented the Waggoner family a check in the amount of $50,000
to Team Jack in Nathan’s memory.
Following
this emotional and impactful moment, the Foundation announced a new research
project commitment of $150,000 to Dr. Richard Phillips at Memorial Sloan
Kettering in New York City for DIPG research. The project focuses on a new drug
delivery method that would lead to new treatments for kids with DIPG and
potentially other types of tumors as well. A video of Dr. Phillips shared the
project summary with the guests.
The
Team Jack Husker Alumni chapters (composed of former Huskers) generously
donated $31,000 to the Team Jack Foundation this year. Presenting the check on
behalf of the alumni chapters were Jeremiah Sirles (Buffalo Bills), Spencer
Long (Buffalo Bills), Brent Qvale (New York Jets), Zach Sterup (Miami
Dolphins), Rex Burkhead
(New England Patriots), Brett Maher (Dallas Cowboys) and other former
Huskers. These former Huskers continue to embrace the local families affected
by the disease and use their platform to help raise significant awareness for
pediatric brain cancer.
For
more details on The Team Jack Foundation, see TeamJackFoundation.org.
You can also follow The Team Jack Foundation on Facebook.com/TeamJackFoundation and
on Twitter: @TeamJack
