Oct. 25, 2011

Photo Gallery

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford football program hosted four children from aTeam ministries along with their families at the Elon game on Oct. 15.

The team hosted Andrew Barksdale, Drew Davidson, Conner Holland and Cory Gable, along with their families at the game. The children led the Bulldog Walk, tailgated on the Quad, watched warm-ups from the sidelines and enjoyed the game from the stands.

In addition to the pre-game activities, Samford head coach Pat Sullivan invited the children into the locker room after the win.

"Spending time with the children was truly a blessing and an eye opening experience," junior offensive lineman George Allers said. "I got to see firsthand the strength and will God gave them to fight and the hope that was radiating from each of them. Seeing the excitement in their faces made the entire day worthwhile, and it made the victory even sweeter. It was definitely a day to remember."

Samford athletics also provided each child with a goodie bag full of athletics memorabilia.

"We had more fun as a family than we can remember having in a long time," Holly Barksdale, Andrew's mother, said. "We appreciate everything aTeam Ministries, Samford, the players, Coach Sullivan and Hollie Huey did to make Saturday so great for all of these kids and all of our families! To quote Andrew on Sunday when he told Ms. Angela about it, `It was so cool!' That summed the whole thing up!"

aTeam Ministries founders Andy and Jan Thrower know firsthand what it is like and how it feels to have a child diagnosed with cancer. The Thrower's son, Anderson, was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) on January 6, 2009.

Since that time, Anderson continues to receive weekly lab work, monthly chemo injections and daily oral chemo at home. The Thrower's saw from that day of initial diagnosis there needed to be a support organization for families.

As a result, aTeam Ministries was created to provide "frontline" support to families going through the Oncology or Hematology related disease journey.

aTeam Ministries offers spiritual, financial and emotional support during the initial diagnosis, treatment process, and after the treatment process.