NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt football team will be representing patients at Monroe Carrel Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt on Saturday against Tennessee.
The Commodores will wear helmet stickers colored by hospital patients including Will, Layla, Maddox, Lynnley, Emma and Yliana. The decals were decorated at the Dore Day Pep Rallies held at Monroe Carell before every home football game for players, patients and employees. In their second year, the pep rallies have become a special tradition between the hospital and the football program.
The stickers are footballs, anchors and the VU hand symbol in various colors and will be randomly affixed to each student-athlete’s helmet.
“Each one of these children will be so happy to have his/her art represented in this way,” said John Thomas, MD, professor of Urology and Chief of Staff at Monroe Carell. “This is one of the many ways Vanderbilt Athletics supports Monroe Carell and it means so much for the children to interact with the athletes and coaches. Thank you, Commodores, for playing a role in how we help to heal our children at Monroe Carell.”
Vanderbilt Athletics has a long history of supporting patients at the Monroe Carell, including through the annual Dancing Dores fundraiser. Each Vanderbilt program is represented in the event which has raised over $100,000 for the hospital.
Vanderbilt hosts Tennessee before a sold out crowd Saturday. Kickoff is at 11 a.m. on ABC.
