Florida State Touchdown Pledge Drive

The Florida State Chapter of Uplifting Athletes is looking to turn touchdowns into rare disease research dollars.

In order to support the Seminoles’ chosen rare disease, Fanconi anemia, the Florida State Chapter is holding a Touchdown Pledge Drive on November 8.

For the home game at Doak Campbell Stadium against fellow ACC foe Virginia, each touchdown the defending BCS National Champions score will support Fanconi anemia research.

Fans can support the football student-athlete led Florida State Chapter by making a donation through the Seminoles’ online Touchdown Pledge Drive site.

The Florida State chapter was formed in 2013 by tight end Kevin Haplea. Out for the season with a torn ACL, Haplea had experience with Uplifting Athletes during his time at Penn State and after transferring to FSU decided to start a chapter in Tallahassee.

One of Seminoles’ head coach Jimbo Fisher’s sons, Ethan Fisher, is battling Fanconi anemia. So Haplea chose to make this particular rare disease the one Florida State champions.

All funds raised by the Florida State Touchdown Pledge Drive will go directly to Kidz1stFund, a foundation founded by Jimbo and Candi Fisher.

This ACC game against Virginia goes way beyond football for one reason – Fanconi anemia. Cavaliers head coach Mike London also has a child battling the rare genetic blood disease leading to birth defects, bone marrow failure and cancer diagnoses.

The odds of two FBS head football coaches each having a child with this rare disease are one in 990 billion.

So to raise awareness for Fanconi anemia, Florida State will take the field in Tallahassee on Nov. 8 donning “I Fight Fanconi” Kidz1stFund decals on the back of their helmets in support of 9-year-old Ethan Fisher, 18-year-old Ticynn London and everybody living with FA.

Uplifting Athletes is a national non-profit organization aligning college football with rare diseases and raising them as a national priority through outreach, research, education and advocacy.

Each of the 25 student-athlete led chapters nationwide raises research funds and brings awareness to their chosen rare disease through a Lift For Life fundraiser. Florida State held its inaugural Lift For Life event earlier this year and raised $15,030 for Fanconi anemia research.

To find out more about the Uplifting Athletes, visit upliftingathletes.org.