EKU Basketball to Host #TeamJared Night in Fight vs. Cancer

The Eastern Kentucky men’s basketball is honoring the life and legacy of a late ball boy by hosting #TeamJared Night at McBrayer Arena in Richmond this Saturday.

Jared Chitwood was 15 when he was diagnosed with leukemia. The Richmond native underwent aggressive chemotherapy treatments at Kentucky Children’s Hospital. Nearing the homestretch of his treatment, his immune system was compromised and he succumbed to a bacterial and fungal infection in March of 2018.

Since his passing, his mother, Kim, has made it her calling to help other children who are fighting cancer. The Chitwoods have been active in DanceBlue and volunteers with Jarrett’s Joy Cart, an organization that delivers toys to patients at Kentucky Children’s Hospital.

Like Jared, Eastern Kentucky head coach A.W. Hamilton was a patient at the Markey Cancer Center. Inspired by the Chitwoods, EKU is hosting its third annual #TeamJared Night to salute the former Colonels’ ball boy.

“We want to continue to build #TeamJared and have the community more involved,” coach Hamilton told UK. “We want to celebrate his life as well as bring awareness to childhood cancer. This event means everything to me, each year I want it to grow it bigger and bigger. I want Jared’s story to live on and let Kim have a platform to speak to hundreds of people at once. I know hearing their family’s story made a difference in my life – imagine what it can do to a whole community.”

The Colonels will host Liberty at 7 pm ET. Eastern Kentucky University is inviting fans to come to Weaver Gymnasium at 5 pm ET. They will be giving away 500 free #TeamJared t-shirts, free pizza, live music and more. A memorial walk, from Weaver to McBrayer Arena, honoring Jared and the Chitwood family will conclude the event at 6:15 p.m.