Chris Draft’s challenge was issued through a video developed in partnership with School of the Legends and distributed via email to current and former players.  Draft issued a similar challenge to the general public in a separate video, which was also developed in partnership with School of the Legends.  

Text of the letter to NFL players:

Guys,

As you may have heard, I lost my wife, Keasha, to Stage IV lung cancer just over two months ago.   Since then, I have been hitting the ground hard, touring  some of the top cancer treatment and research centers in the country as part of a national campaign to change the  face of lung cancer by shattering the misconception that lung cancer is a “smoker’s disease.”  The fact is , anybody can get lung cancer -- even non-smokers like Keasha.

Keasha was a vibrant, energetic, and talented young women.  Even though she had never smoked, she was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer when she went to her doctor after noticing a slight shortness of breath.  Her Stage IV diagnosis meant that the cancer had already begun  to spread from her lungs to other parts of her body by the time she was diagnosed.

As you guys who knew Keasha know, she was a fighter.  Despite her condition, Keasha and I launched Team Draft at our wedding last November.   Team Draft  is dedicated to raising lung cancer awareness and increasing badly needed research funding by eradicating the stigma created by the “smoker’s disease” misconception.  

Guys, understand that lung cancer came into my house, and it took my wife. Too many families are affected by this horrible disease.  It’s time to respond. 

Team Draft is committed to changing the face of lung cancer, but it takes a team to tackle cancer and we need your help.  I am writing to challenge you to respond by supporting this national awareness campaign by donating to Team Draft at www.teamdraft.org and by spreading the word that anyone can get lung cancer through facebook, Twitter, School of the Legends, and other social media.

Also, if you’ve been affected by cancer, please share your story with us  at www.teamdraft.org.

I appreciate your time and effort in helping us change the face of lung cancer, and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Chris Draft

The Facts About Lung Cancer

1.  Anyone can get lung cancer--even non-smokers like Keasha.

2.  Nearly 50-60% of lung cancers are diagnosed in people who either never smoked or who quit smoking decades ago.

3.   Lung cancer surpassed breast cancer as the number #1 cancer killer of women in 1987.

4.   The 5 year survival rate is just 15% --the same as it was 40 years ago.  Although survival rates for early stage lung cancers have improved in recent years, there is no cure for Stage  IV lung cancer, which is by far the most common stage at the time of diagnosis.

5.  Lung cancer kills more people than breast, prostate, colon, liver, kidney and melanoma cancer . . . . . combined.