Rare diseases are in the spotlight this weekend as National Football League players show their support for causes close to their hearts in the form of colorful cleats. The “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign allows players to showcase a charity or cause through custom-painted footwear. This year, several players are again taking up rare diseases as their cause of choice. Uplifting Athletes, a non-profit comprised of football players with a passion for raising funding and awareness for rare diseases, is the highlighted on several players’ cleats this year including Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Brandin Bryant. The “1 in 10” message on Bryant’s cleats, pictured above, references to the number of Americans affected by a rare disease in some way.
Other players this year have chosen to spotlight sickle cell disease, a rare blood disorder that can be deadly.
Many of the cleats worn this weekend can be put up for auction. The NFL says 100 percent of the proceeds of the sale of the cleats will be donated to players’ charities.
