Grace Berry with kids from Austin Hatcher Foundation
Lee University women’s soccer has teamed with the Austin Hatcher Foundation again in hosting Kick’n It For Kids with Cancer for the 16th year. It all began when Matt Yelton was leading the Lady Flames, continued with Chris Hennessy and is now being led by first-year coach Lee Hughes.
Lee will be facing Spring Hill College (Mobile, Ala.) in the GSC doubleheader. The starting times have been reversed. The men will kick-off at 5 p.m. and the women will follow at 7:30 p.m.. This is to accommodate all the children who will be arriving to march onto the pitch with the Lady Flames during the pregame ceremony.
The Austin Hatcher Foundation was founded in December 2006 by Dr.
James and Mrs. Amy Jo Osborn months after their son, Austin Hatcher Osborn, passed away from a very rare and aggressive form of brain and spinal tumors.
After their son’s death, the Osborn’s turned their pain into purpose and worked to address the lack of support in survivorship for the family of the diagnosed child. They opened the Austin Hatcher Foundation to help eliminate the negative side effects of pediatric cancer from diagnosis into survivorship.
The Foundation not only treats the child suffering from diagnosis but the entire family that has been negatively impacted. Hatch’s Hero builds a community of hope, trust, and support for families that have shown incredible courage and resilience through the childhood cancer journey. Each individual family member is provided free support, resources, and a platform for their voice.
“We have spent the last six weeks fundraising for the children of Austin Hatcher,” said Coach Hughes when talking about his first experience directing his team in the fundraiser. “This has been an awesome effort, and a good amount of money earned for the children!
“Austin Hatcher representatives will have a table set up under the canopy (at the Ray Conn Sports Complex) during the men’s and women’s games. The families and children of Austin Hatcher will be walking out with some of our girls during pregame! Some of the older children would also like to go on the field at halftime.
“I love that we take part in this event. It is such a special way to serve others and help people,” he continued. “Just recently becoming a dad myself, it makes it extra special to know that we can help families that need it most with what they are going through.”