TAMPA, Fla. (WWSB) - This Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offseason, the team decided to make some cuts. Only these cuts were designed to bring families together, and brighten the day of some resilient boys and girls in the community.
For the past twelve years, the Buccaneers organization has given back. On Thursday in Tampa, the team held their annual “Cut and Color Funds the Cure” event to benefit the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
Boys and girls battling cancer had the opportunity to meet players, coaches and staff within the Buccaneers organization, and give them a makeover.
“Today it’s about giving a family and kids an opportunity to be a family and kids,” Buccaneers’ Chief Operating Officer Brian Ford said.
They do it for the youngest and most vulnerable in the Tampa Bay community, who are fighting every day.
“Anytime you can make somebody smile when they’re going through a lot of pain, you feel better in your heart,” Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles said at the event.
“You feel like you’ve done something,” he added.
Bowles took part in the event, alongside Brian Ford and Bucs starting quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“The support we get from our fans, from everybody inside the organization,” Ford said.
“The Glazer family. Our coaches, our players. This is a total team effort. And it’s a community. It’s team Tampa.
Ford started the day with a full head of hair. He had a group of boys and girls gleefully shave off his locks with giant smiles on their faces.
“Some of these kids came straight from the hospital,” Ford said.
“I’ve been doing this now for twelve years. I’ll continue doing it. If we can make a little boy or a little girl giggle and laugh, you know, look at me because I’m shaving my head, we’re going to continue doing it,” he added.
It gives these children a chance to be kids again.
This year’s event, through donations and the Buccaneers organization’s efforts, has raised one million dollars for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Ford stated that typically only four percent of cancer research dollars goes toward pediatric cancer research. All of the funds through this great event will be going towards helping find a cure for pediatric cancer.
“No parent should have to get a call that their son or daughter has cancer, and it happens 43 times a day,” Ford said.
“Today we put some smiles on some kids that don’t normally have an opportunity to smile,” he added.
It’s evidence that the Buccaneer organization is a cut above the rest.
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