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Tyler Genneken’s Play it Forward Memorial Football Tournament to be held November 13 – 14, 2010 in Central Indiana
Proceeds from event will fund bone marrow registration drives in honor of 14 year old boy who fought leukemia
Football teams from Indiana, Ohio, Missouri and Illinois will travel to Greenwood, Indiana to play in a memorial football tournament benefitting the Tyler Genneken Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting Leukemia and honoring the life and legacy of 14 year-old Tyler Genneken.
Tyler Genneken’s Play it Forward Memorial Football Tournament will take place November 13 – 14, at Center Grove Bantam Football Complex in Greenwood, Indiana. The tournament is a middle school tournament for players aged 12 – 14 (U13, U14, and U15) and the cost to play is $300 per team. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the football tournament will be used to fund bone marrow registration drives. The compelling story of Tyler’s life and love for football has attracted numerous local supporters, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Finish Line, Scale Computing, Football University, NS Fabrication, Shooting Stars Portrait Studio, Ed Martin Honda, CG Sports Café, Dr Somesan, DDS, DG Design, Academy Animal Hospital, Rehab Strategies, Louie’s, Hayden Physical Therapy, and Center Grove Eye Care.
“Tyler’s story brings to light the importance of blood donations, registering to be a bone marrow donor, and the search for a cure,” said Jeff Ready, CEO of Scale Computing. “We are honored to be involved with the Tyler Genneken Foundation. Being a sponsor is incredibly special as it will bring awareness to bone marrow registration while honoring Tyler’s legacy through his favorite sport – football.”
Tyler’s Story
Tyler Genneken was born early and seemed to always be trying to live life a little faster, a little fuller than most kids his age. It seemed he knew he would only have a short time to experience it all, to get as much accomplished as possible – and he did. In his short 14 years the quiet and unassuming boy with shaggy blond hair and disarming smile managed to touch many lives. Struck down too early by leukemia, Tyler knew all too well the importance of blood donations, registering to be a bone marrow donor, and the search for a cure.
During his three and half year battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, the most common form of pediatric cancer, Tyler received more than 80 units of blood and endured daily chemotherapy. But, after completing three years of treatment he learned his only chance of being cured was a Bone Marrow Transplant. Unfortunately, no match could be found for Tyler.
Undaunted by this devastating news, Tyler vowed no other child or parent would have to hear those words, and he knew increasing the number of potential donors on the National Bone Marrow Registry was the best way of making his wish a reality. Setting a goal of 500 new registrants, Tyler asked dedicated volunteers and several local organizations to hold numerous Bone Marrow Registration Drives in his name. By the end of 2009 more than 700 units of blood had been donated and over 3,000 people had joined the national bone marrow donor program in Tyler’s honor.
On November 18, 2009 Tyler was recognized by the Riley Foundation and Riley Children’s Hospital as a Riley Champion. The award is given to children who have risen above their individual circumstance to help other children undergoing cancer treatment and whom have raised awareness about pediatric cancers. Tyler was not there to receive his award; leukemia took his life on November 4, 2009.
Tyler’s story and the causes he championed continue to affect people’s lives, with four life-saving bone marrow donations already resulting from drives held in Tyler’s name. To continue Tyler’s legacy the Tyler Genneken Foundation was formed in January 2010 with the stated goals of adding 10,000 names to the National Bone Marrow Registry in Tyler’s honor, raising awareness about pediatric cancers, and to aid those fighting cancer.
For more information, to register or sponsor Tyler Genneken’s Play it Forward Memorial Football Tournament, please visit: http://www.tgfsports.info/. To learn more about the Tyler Genneken Foundation, please visit: http://www.tylergenneken.com/.
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