Thursday afternoon moving through the halls of AdventHealth Training Center, there was a rather unusual sight taking place. Buccaneers players and staff members alike were walking around with what look like questionable hair decisions at first; buzz cuts on guys with suits, orange and red streaks in women's hair and players' facial hair dyed in bright colors.
Then you find out the cause.
Thursday afternoon was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation 7th Annual Cut for a Cure with the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Pediatric cancer patients and survivors were on hand to provide their favorite players with the above-mentioned haircuts and styles in an effort to raise money for cancer research. This year's event raised $100,000 that goes directly to research in the local community. In total, the Buccaneers have raised over $400,000 in the seven years hosting the event.
Multiple players made donations, but two in particular made a significant contribution to the NPCF. Those two were none other than the Bucs quarterback and center duo, Jameis Winston and Ryan Jensen, who gave a total of $17,500 for the cause.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have teamed up again with the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation for the 7th annual Cut for a Cure event in order to raise money to help fund research.
Winston has participated every year since joining the organization and had his head colored in by a familiar face in pediatric cancer survivor, Josh. Jensen is in his second year participating, and although his red streak was a little washed out by his already ginger locks, he loved letting a little girl named Zoey have fun with the color spray can. The pair posed for a selfie afterward.
"Pediatric cancer, it's scary," Jensen said. "It's something that definitely needs that funding and it's awesome watching these kids who are sick and how excited they are to come here and hang out with us. It gives us joy when they're in there having so much fun. I say this a lot, these kind of things are the real fun part of the job."
Another little boy named Dean, who had underwent chemotherapy immediately before coming to AdventHealth Training Center to participate, was running around calling, 'Next customer!' any time his chair was empty. None other than Head Coach Bruce Arians happily obliged and got a big red spot spray painted onto his head.
Players aren't the only ones that end up contributing. Buccaneers staff members contribute as well, and none more than Vice President of Sales, Deno Anagnost. A cancer-survivor himself, Anagnost makes it his mission each year to raise more and more money so that no child will have to have the experience he did with the disease. This year, Anagnost personally raised over $35,000 to bring his total contribution over the years to an even $100,000.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation presented a giant check to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation in the auditorium of AdventHealth Training Facility before turning the participants loose with their new player friends for ice cream in the dining hall.
