September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. A time to remind people the struggles children go through every day who are fighting the disease.
ABC Action News got the chance to meet one of those special kids. James Davis, 8, recently got the chance to play with his football team, the Lutz Chiefs. It was something he and his dad were so excited about.
“I about jumped out of my pants when I found out,” said Ryan Davis, James’ dad. “James and was really excited about being able to play too!”
James’ treatment is aggressive. He takes around 60 pills a week, oral chemo every night, and once a month, he visits the hospital for chemo and a lumbar puncture.
James, who wears the number 75, has been sidelined again though with some health issues.
“We still show up. We attend practices just to show the team support. He is on the sideline for every game and still very much part of the team still, even though he is not in the game,” said Ryan.
Well, just two days before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ home opener at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, the team had a surprise for James. Star defensive tackle Gerald McCoy sent a video for James.
“You’re a joy to all of us, motivating all of us to go get this Super Bowl man,” said McCoy in a cell phone video. “Its people like you, James, who give us the strength and the courage to move forward.”
The team also sent some swag to James; complete with a framed picture of Jameis Winston, a football and more.
Until #75 can get back on the field with his teammates, he will continue to tackle cancer and be an inspiration in the process.
"We get strength from James. He just kind of muscles through it all and never stops and that’s what keeps us going too,” said his dad, Ryan.
