Survivor at Every Stadium: New York Jets #SaturdayNightFootball

New York, NY. New Jersey lung cancer survivor-advocate Bill Schrul represented Team Draft at MetLife Stadium. Bill and his wife tailgated with L7 before watching the New York Jets take on the Houston Texans. #tacklinglungcancer #suitelife

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ — Bill Schrul of Mountainside was a healthy, athletic man who never smoked a day in his life. Yet on June 13, 2012, Schrul was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.

It was a diagnosis Schrul and his family did not think could happen.

“I couldn’t be more shocked,” Schrul said.

In reality, lung cancer is the world’s number one killer. In the U.S., more people die of lung cancer than pancreatic, breast and prostate cancer combined. Although it is the most underfunded cancer, according to Lung Cancer Research Foundation.

Since being diagnosed Shrul has taken multiple medications and undergone a clinical trial. He is doing well now.

“I workout generally five days a week and do rather well. My breathing is not what it used to be.”

Now it has become Schrul’s mission to spread the word.

“It is so important to me to educate people about lung cancer,” Schrul said. “My friends were overwhelmed to find out it kills far more women than breast cancer. It is viewed as smokers disease but I have always stayed healthy and fit. I never touched a cigarette in my life. It could happen to you or your wife, anyone that breathes can get lung cancer. It is a startling thing to think about that.” Read the Full Story by Alexis Tarrazi

In 2012, we launched our inaugural Team Draft Survivor Series initiative on CNN during a nationally-televised prime time special focusing on lung cancer and our National Campaign to Change the Face of Lung Cancer. Our Survivor at Every Stadium, leverages our connections with the NFL, its teams and players with our relationships with many of the top cancer centers in the country. As a part of our International Campaign, the games allow us to celebrate our survivors, raise awareness, and give hope to those battling the disease, as well as shine a light on the important work being done at cancer research and treatment centers around the country.

Team Draft’s goals are to create a unique experience for participating survivors and to raise awareness on a local, national, and international level by using each game and each survivor’s story to weave a broader narrative about the state of cancer and the hope that now exists for those battling the disease.

Team Draft’s fifth annual Lung Cancer Survivors Super Bowl Challenge kicked off on November 1, 2018. This unique fund raising challenge gives lung cancer survivors the opportunity to raise funds for public awareness and cutting-edge research that is giving new hope to those battling this often misunderstood disease. The top three fundraisers, announced on December 31, 2018, will earn trips to Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta, GA, the 2019 NFL Pro Bowl in Orlando, FL and the Taste of the NFL in Atlanta, GA. The survivors have an opportunity to share their powerful stories with key individuals with influence from across the country. #RepYourCity #RepYourCancerCenter #RepYourLCOrganization 

**The lung cancer survivors that raise over $5,000 will be able to designated a beneficiary (Cancer Center or LC Organization) that will receive 80% of their raised funds (-fees) and the remaining 20% will support Team Draft’s mission to change the face of lung cancer.

Special thanks to the New York Jets, the NFL Commissioner, the NFL and all of our Team Draft supporters for helping make this event possible.

Donate now to Support the National Campaign to Change the Face of Lung Cancer!