June 13, 2006
Washington, D.C. - Georgetown University senior football player David Fajgenbaum (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft) has received some recognition for the community service work he's done with the group - Students of AMF (Students of Ailing Mothers and Fathers) - he founded nearly two years ago. He's also been able to raise some money for brain cancer research in the process.
In late May, Fajgenbaum and his best friend, Ben Chasson, organized the Second Annual "Boot Camp to Beat Cancer" and 5K Family Fun Walk, in partnership with the National Brain Tumor Foundation (NBTF) as part of "A Morning of Fitness" (AMF) in memory of David's mother, Anne Marie Fajgenbaum, who passed away in October 2004.
The first time the pair held the "Boot Camp to Beat Cancer," they managed to raise $8,000. This time, they more than doubled their total, raising $20,000.
The event was held to raise awareness about the role that a healthy lifestyle plays in disease prevention; to generate funding for research into detection, prevention, treatment and a cure for brain cancer through the NBTF; and to support the national expansion of the AMF Support Network, which empowers college students on campuses across the country to take a proactive approach to coping with death and dying. A day after the event, the AMF Support Network held the inaugural "AMF Banquet" to support its national expansion. The event featured a presentation about the issues faced by bereaved college students, an address by Fajgenbaum, the Founder of the AMF Support Network, and a keynote address by Oncologist, Dr. Jeff Crane, of Raleigh Hematology Oncology Associates.
"It was just an unbelievable effort and an incredible day," said Fajgenbaum, who is staying on the Georgetown campus over the summer to workout with his Hoya teammates in preparation for the upcoming season. "We had a great turnout, we were able to provide a day of fun for everyone who came by and we raised a tremendous amount of money for this cause."
The Support Network will donate half of the proceeds from the "Boot Camp 2 Beat Cancer" to the National Brain Tumor Foundation. In addition, thanks to several AMF Banquet attendees who made donations of at least $500, the AMF Support Network is starting chapters at seven college campuses (Elon University, Georgia Tech University, Harvard University, Meredith College, North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University. The addition of seven campuses brings the number of chapters in development to 23 nationwide.
For more information, please contact Fajgenbaum at David@StudentsofAMF.org, Chesson, AMF Support Network Director of Outreach at bchesson@email.unc.edu or visit their website at www.StudentsofAMF.org.
About the National Students of Ailing Mothers & Fathers (AMF) Support Network: Students of Ailing Mothers and Fathers (Students of AMF Campus Chapters) is a college support network that was founded by David Fajgenbaum, a graduate of Ravenscroft School and rising senior at Georgetown University, in memory of his mother, Anne Marie Fajgenbaum, in January of 2005. Since its inception on Georgetown's campus, the AMF Support Network has reached more than 1,000 students, faculty, and community members through support and community-related activities. Fajgenbaum created the organization to help college students who had lost a loved one, to cope with the psychological, spiritual, social and academic difficulties associated with have a sick or deceased loved one. He decided to spread the group to other campuses and incorporated the National Students of AMF Support Network (National Students of AMF) as a non-profit organization. National Students of AMF brings its mission to life by facilitating the creation of AMF Campus Chapters where students take a proactive approach to grief through peer support, community service, faculty mentoring and community outreach; by providing e-Support through www.StudentsofAMF.org; by awarding scholarships; by providing grants to conduct ground-breaking research; and by holding conferences on college student bereavement.
About The National Brain Tumor Foundation (NBTF): The National Brain Tumor Foundation (NBTF) is a national non-profit health organization dedicated to providing information and support for brain tumor patients, family members, and healthcare professionals, while supporting innovative research into better treatment options and a cure for brain tumors. For more information, please visit www.braintumor.org.
