JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Fifty kids diagnosed with cancer got the opportunity to spend time with family and go to a Jaguars game Sunday afternoon, all thanks to the Jay Fund Foundation.
For a few hours, families didn't have to concern themselves about going to the doctor's office or undergo procedures. It was a time when kids could be kids.
Jacob Torres is an animated 9-year-old diagnosed with leukemia, which is cancer in the red blood cells.
Torres is in the fourth grade. He's playful, talkative and quite the character. He's quick to share his least favorite subjects in school; history and reading. Plus he enjoys watching anime. Torres was one of the many kids at the tailgate party.
"What we're doing [today] is in honor of the NFL crucial catch initiative," Keli Coughlin said, who is the CEO of the Jay Fund.
The NFL's Crucial Catch is a mission to "fight cancer through early detection and risk reduction." For a few hours, Roberto Torres' son was not a cancer patient, but a kid having fun.
"Jacob now is really a happy boy that wants to talk about random things," Roberto said. "It wasn't like that before when he was going through his treatment."
Roberto said his son went through procedures at the young age of three, but he cancer returned.
To Roberto, he Jay Fund has been a life saver while his son undergoes treatment. He described it as a mental break. Roberto said the Jay Fund has assisted in providing his family counselors and the foundation even paid off a few bills, keeping the family financially afloat while focusing on Jacob's health.
"He's a great kid. He's a kid that's bubbly now and I always wanna keep that," Roberto said. "I wanna make sure people understand that I'm gonna enjoy my family everyday. As long as him and my daughter is with us, we're gonna enjoy and I appreciate the Jay Fund."
To Roberto, the Jay Fund has opened opportunities for him to focus on more important issues; staying together as a family.