For the past seven years, the National Football League has partnered with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to care for and honor patients and families coping with serious illnesses through its NFL PLAY 60 program.
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According to the research institute’s official website, the program offers St Jude Children’s Research Hospital patients and families plenty of play therapy, peer interaction and a chance to be part of the official NFL Draft, an effort to both lift spirits and raise awareness for the St. Jude mission to find cures and save children.
This evening at the 2019 NFL Draft, St. Jude patient Owen, 13, will be taking the stage to announce the Seattle Seahawks' round three draft pick in Nashville, Tennessee. He'll be joined by former NFL MVP running back Shaun Alexander.
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"Owen has an inner strength and determination that should be admired, and we are honored that the NFL has invited him to represent St. Jude at the Draft to support all of the children fighting cancer and other life-threatening diseases," Richard Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for the hospital, said in a statement.
Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age four, Owen is now cancer-free. And according to a St. Jude news release, the Seahawks fanatic can even run a 5:36 mile.
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"I'm so excited to attend the NFL Draft and can't wait to get to Nashville to make the round three pick for my favorite team, the Seattle Seahawks," Owen said. "It will be an amazing experience to be part of the draft, so I'm thankful for both St. Jude and the NFL for giving me this incredible opportunity."
You can learn more about Owen's inspiring story at stjude.org.
Round 2 and Round 3 of the 2019 NFL Draft start at 7 p.m. Friday, April 26 and will air on five networks: NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
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