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UAB players to honor children’s hospital patients with uniform tweak
By Cody McClure
Published:
It’s a shame that UAB Football had to go away for as long as it did, because it is doing some pretty noteworthy things now.
For example, UAB announced on Monday that players would be wearing the names of Children’s Harbor patients on the back of their jerseys for the Blazers’ upcoming game against Louisiana Tech.
Children’s Harbor serves seriously ill children and their families through unique, no-cost services at the Family Center inside the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children in Birmingham, according to a press release from UAB.
The goal is to honor and memorialize the children and their families, the release stated.
“Children’s Harbor has absolutely become a part of the Blazer family,” coach Bill Clark said. “I intend for this relationship to grow with our program. As we build, there will be even more we can do to provide encouragement and a positive distraction to support the terrific work Children’s Harbor does.”
The UAB football team adopted Children’s Harbor as one of their community charities in 2016 and the Blazers make regularly scheduled trips to the hospital to build relations and encourage patients, the release said.
The jerseys worn by the players against Louisiana Tech will be presented to each child and their family after the game.
“A section of Legion Field will be filled with honored Children’s Harbor families to cheer on the Blazers and the 100 players participating in this heartfelt project,” the release stated. “For these families to be together in a joyful, carefree setting allows them to put aside – for a few hours – the everyday realities of doctor visits, stress and fatigue that comes with caring for a child who has serious chronic illness.”
Cody McClure is an SEC Football Writer for Saturday Down South. He lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he also co-hosts a midday sports radio show for FOX Sports. Cody previously worked for Athlon Sports.
