Villanova Head Football Coach Andy Talley received the Person of the Decade award over the weekend from the Temple Bone Marrow Transplant Program of Temple University Hospital for his work recruiting potential marrow donors.
Coach Talley began encouraging his players more than 15 years ago to become potential marrow donors. Since then, he’s drafted other football teams to help grow the Be The Match Registry®, the world’s largest registry of potential marrow donors and donated cord blood units.
Talley’s efforts have resulted in thousands of potential donors joining the Be The Match Registry to date and many have been identified as a potential match for a patient, including three Villanova football players.
This year, under the banner, “Get in the Game. Save a Life,” Talley and Be The Match® partnered with 30 college and university football teams to join the cause and help save lives.
In addition to Talley’s leadership in raising awareness and recruiting potential marrow donors, Temple also recognized his work in partnering with the hospital and offering educational seminars for patients, caregivers and potential donors.
The award was presented at Temple’s 5th Patient Reunion and Remembrance event in Philadelphia. Nearly 300 marrow transplant recipients, donors, family and friends attended.
For more information about Coach Talley and “Get in the Game. Save a Life,” watch the video on YouTube. The clip includes interviews from Coach Talley, Temple University’s Head Football Coach Al Golden and marrow donor Patrick Abdul, who joined at a Get in the Game drive.