The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are rivals on the football field, and they'll face each other Sunday at Ford Field.
However, Cody Delorenzo is connecting Lambeau Field and Ford Field for a fight that goes far beyond football. He's running 313 miles from Lambeau to Detroit, carrying a game ball and raising money for Henry Ford Health's Game On Cancer.
See the full story in the video below
The journey is an exhausting one, and often lonely. However, Cody said it doesn't come close to the battle that inspired it.
"I want to do something tough, something challenging. Put myself in the shoes of those that are dealing with cancer. The unknown, the next day, you don't really know what's going on," he said.
His inspiration is his wife, Shannon, who is a breast cancer survivor and is now recovering from reconstructive surgery. Shannon said their family was fortunate to have an incredible support system.
"This is our way of helping others in the same way because not everyone has a huge support system like we do and it makes all the difference," Shannon said.
Because cancer doesn't just take a physical toll. It can also create a financial crisis with missed work, childcare, groceries and bills that don't stop coming just because you're fighting for your life. That's where Henry Ford Health's Game on Cancer steps in.
"Game on Cancer really comes and helps assist these patients in some dire situations," Dr. David Kwon, the physician in charge of the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion, said. [00:03:28][4.9]
Kwon said helping families afford those everyday necessities and related care can also help keep cancer treatment on track.
"Whether it's pain or whether it is numbness or whether its even mental health of anxiety and or depression that can be caused by cancer, we know the cancer outcomes are not as good," Kwon said about what could happen if people don't have that support.
Since 2014, Game on Cancer has helped fill that gap, raising more than $10.8 million and helping more than 12,000 patients and families.
Now, with the Detroit Lions getting behind his effort, Cody is hoping to help even more.
"I don't want people to look at me as like superhuman. I am the most average runner and the most average athlete, I guess you'd say, in the world. So just know that you can do stuff too," he said.
That's what this NFL game ball-carrying 313-mile run is really about — making sure more families have someone in their corner, every step of their cancer journey.
"It's okay to lean on others and that always makes everything easier, no matter what you're dealing with," Shannon said.
Delorenzo expects to reach Ford Field on Saturday afternoon before the game on Sunday. The Detroit Lions have been supporting his journey. You can help support his run by visiting gameballrun.com. Henry Ford said 100% of the money raised through Game On Cancer supports its cancer patients, services and research.
