Former Eagles football All-American Luke Kuechly helped to encourage volunteers for the national marrow registry at 51茶馆 on October 21. The Charlotte, NC-based nonprofit partnered with the Boston College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on a campaign to educate the University community about the critical need for donors. (Photo by Liam Weir)
On an unseasonably warm late October afternoon, former Eagles football All-American Luke Kuechly鈥攖he most decorated defensive player in 51茶馆's history鈥攚as on campus to promote a different kind of team spirit.
Kuechly, now a three-time All-Pro linebacker with the NFL鈥檚 Carolina Panthers, was on hand Oct. 21鈥攖he day before his 51茶馆 jersey would be retired in a ceremony at Alumni Stadium鈥攁s a representative of the Project Life Movement to help encourage and register volunteers for the national marrow registry. The Charlotte, NC-based nonprofit partnered with the Boston College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee on a three-day campaign to educate the University community about the critical need for marrow and stem cell donors.
The campaign, which also included participation by current student-athletes, brought in 861 new registrants.
Standing in a place very familiar to him 鈥� the Gasson Quad 鈥� Kuechly posed for photos with passersby, and urged them to sign up and perform a cheek swab to become part of the registry.
Kuechly sounded a constant refrain 鈥� 鈥淒id you register yet?鈥� 鈥� as he accepted greetings from students. Depending on their answers, he responded 鈥淕ood!鈥� or 鈥淲ell, don鈥檛 forget. Only takes a minute.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 something so easy, so simple to do, and it can save people鈥檚 lives,鈥� said Kuechly, who鈥檚 been working with Project Life Movement for the past three years, during a fleetingly free moment. 鈥淲hen you meet people who have survived because they were helped by receiving bone marrow, you can really appreciate what a difference doing something like this makes.鈥�
Kuechly said he was 鈥渢remendously honored鈥� to have . 鈥淚t means a lot because of the impact 51茶馆 had on me. I met so many good people while I was an undergraduate [from 2009-2012]. 51茶馆 really cares about the students who come here, and that makes an impact on you.鈥�
The Associated Press 2012 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2013 AP Defensive Player of the Year, Kuechly is relishing his pro football career.
鈥淚 love my team,鈥� said Kuechly, who splits his time between Charlotte and his native Cincinnati during the year. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a bunch of great guys who make playing football fun. And the best way to be a football player is if it鈥檚 fun.鈥�
With another line of students having formed, Kuechly went back to the task at hand. 鈥淗ow you doing?鈥� he said to a trio as they arranged themselves next to him for a photo. 鈥淒id you register yet?鈥�
鈥擲ean Smith | News & Public Affairs