Donate to Touchdown Pledge Drive | Uplifting Athletes website

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois Chapter of Uplifting Athletes is looking to turn touchdowns into rare disease research dollars.

In order to support its mission of raising awareness and funds for its chosen rare disease, acoustic neuroma, the Illinois chapter is holding a touchdown pledge drive on October 4.

For the game at Memorial Stadium against fellow Big Ten West Division foe Purdue, each touchdown the Fighting Illini score will support acoustic neuroma research.

The Illinois chapter started in 2012 in honor of offensive lineman Andrew Carter, who was diagnosed with acoustic neuroma in 2011. Because of treatment for the disease, Carter was not able to play football again but remained active with the Illini team serving a student assistant coach.

Fans can support the football student-athlete led Illinois Chapter by making a donation through the Illini's online touchdown pledge drive site.

About Uplifting Athletes
Uplifting Athletes is a full service national nonprofit organization aligning college football with rare diseases and raising them as a national priority through research, outreach, education and advocacy. What makes Uplifting Athletes unique is that our university chapters are run by current football student-athletes, providing them with an opportunity to gain management and leadership skills while learning how to leverage their assets and abilities to make a positive and lasting impact. Each chapter adopts one out of approximately 7,000 rare diseases (such as Aplastic Anemia, cystic fibrosis, kidney cancer, Leukemia, Neimann Pick Type-C, Neuroblastoma, Fanconi anemia, etc.). For more information about Uplifting Athletes, visit their website.