NFL SAN FRANCISCO 49ER TRENT WILLIAMS TO SERVE AS AMBASSADOR FOR SARCOMA FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
— Williams to receive organization’s Courage Award at virtual ceremony September 28 —
WASHINGTON, D.C.; SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 — The Sarcoma Foundation of America announced today that San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams will receive the organization’s 2021 Courage Award as well as serve as a Sarcoma Foundation Ambassador. In this role, the organization looks forward to Trent discussing his own experience with sarcoma — including surgery to remove the tumor from the soft tissues near his brain — as well as his recovery and return to NFL football.
“Sarcoma is the rarest and most underfunded cancer category when it comes to research funding, and we hope Trent’s ability to bring awareness to this disease will not just increase research funding, but also will help those with sarcoma feel less alone,” said Brandi Felser, Chief Executive Officer of the Sarcoma Foundation of America. “Trent has been able to make meaningful connections with children who have been diagnosed with sarcoma and their families,” she added. “We look forward to working with him to raise money for the research our organization funds, as well as encourage the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health to pay closer attention to sarcoma and its specific research needs.”
At the organization’s Stand Up to Sarcoma virtual gala on September 28, Felser will present Williams with the 2021 Courage Award for demonstrating his resilience, hope, and commitment to working with youth and families whose lives have been impacted by this disease.
“We talk about legacy, and this is it,” said Williams. “My sarcoma seemed like it would end my life and end my career. To see how much damage it did, how much of a setback it put into my life, and then to see it come full circle and be awarded for just fighting through that, and even be recognized for that by the Sarcoma Foundation, how do you put that into words? I’m still trying to process it all.”
Williams was diagnosed in 2019 with Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans (DFSP), a soft tissue sarcoma that develops in the deep layers of the skin. Williams’ tumor was weeks away from metastasizing to his brain when surgeons were able to excise it and get him on the road to recovery. The presence of his parents to aid in his recovery was integral to his healing and keeping faith.
For more information about sarcoma and the work of the Sarcoma Foundation of America, please visit the organization’s website at curesarcoma.org.
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About the Sarcoma Foundation of America
The Sarcoma Foundation of America (SFA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, is an advocate for increased research to find new and better therapies with which to treat patients with sarcoma. The organization raises money to privately fund grants for sarcoma researchers and conducts education and advocacy efforts on behalf of sarcoma patients.
About Sarcoma
Sarcoma is a rare cancer in adults (1 percent of all adult cancers) but rather prevalent in children (about 20 percent of all childhood cancers). At any one time, 50,000 patients and their families are struggling with sarcoma. Every year, nearly 15,000 new cases are diagnosed and about 6,000 people die from the disease.
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