Rallying Around One of Our Own: A 24 Hour Fundraiser for a Bears Fan is now LIVE

The stream is live! You can watch via the embed below (You can also watch from the Twitch website directly) you can also donate by clicking here. All donations will be entered into our giveaway raffles, there’s a lot of cool Bears stuff to win, so even if it’s $1, it’s going to a good cause, and you can win something from it too!

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I hope you don’t mind if we veer off the beaten path for something that’s near and dear to my heart.

One of my biggest passions outside of football and the Chicago Bears is helping others. Over the last 10 years, through my partnership with Extra Life in support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, I’ve helped raise more than $17,000 for some of the most vulnerable among us: kids.

Through 24-hour charity streams featuring a variety of games, incentive-based challenges, and giveaways, I’ve found a way to turn my love of gaming into something that can make a real difference. And it goes without saying that many—probably most—of the people who have rallied around these efforts have been Bears fans.

Well, my fellow Windy City Gridiron readers, this time I’m asking you to help one of our own.

A close friend of mine and a die-hard Bears fan recently battled breast cancer. You may or may not know her as Aunt Freddie on Twitter. She cheers for the Bears with unmatched passion, and she fought breast cancer with that same relentless spirit.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world, with more than 2.3 million new cases each year. In the United States alone, it claims the lives of more than 42,000 people annually. Thankfully, Aunt Freddie fought through it and came out victorious.

Unfortunately, beating cancer doesn’t mean the fight is over.

As many of us know, medical bills in the American healthcare system can be absolutely unforgiving. That’s why I’m here today.

Thanks to the early outpouring of support, we’ve already raised more than $1,000 to help her, but there’s still work to do.

Starting at midnight on June 19, I’ll be hosting a 24-hour charity stream on Twitch in support of Aunt Freddie. Once the stream goes live, this article will be updated with an embedded player and pushed to the front page so you can watch and join the fun.

Thanks to the generosity of many Bears fans and, believe it or not, even some Packers fans, we’ve assembled a ton of merchandise and memorabilia to give away. Every donation made between now and the end of the stream on June 20 will be entered into our giveaway drawings.

It’s a great reminder that while Bears and Packers fans may be rivals on Sundays, there’s no rival greater than cancer.

So this is where I ask for your help.

Every dollar makes a difference, and every donation gives you a chance to win some incredible prizes, including hats from Talley Brand, jerseys, and unique pieces of memorabilia. If you donate, please let me know in the comments below or reach out to me on Twitter at @iamcogs so I can make sure you’re entered into the giveaways and notified if you win.

I know times are tough for many people right now. If donating isn’t possible, the one thing I ask is that you share this story. The more people who see it, the more opportunities we have to help.

You’ll find the donation embed below. If you’re able, please consider contributing. Both Aunt Freddie and I would be incredibly grateful for your support.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled Bears content.

Bear Down, and let’s kick some ass together in support of one of our own.

Gary Baugher Jr. is a 2nd year contributor to WCG, bringing football insight backed by over 16 years of experience in organized football and more than 30 years as a passionate fan of the game. You can follow him on Twitter at @iamcogs.

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