Penn State Uplifting Athletes 'Lift For Life' breaks record with $133,500

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The 11th annual Penn State Uplifting Athletes “Lift For Life” was a success on Friday, raising a record total in excess of $130,000 to benefit the Kidney Cancer Association.

As of noon on Saturday, Penn State football student-athletes have raised $133,506.00 for kidney cancer patients and awareness this year, with additional donations expected this month. More than 100 members of Coach Bill O’Brien’s squad participated in Friday’s event, breaking their record for the fifth consecutive year, besting the 2012 total of $119,701 for the Kidney Cancer Association.

With the $133,506 in contributions from this year, more than $825,000 has been raised in the battle against rare diseases by Penn State Uplifting Athletes since the inaugural Lift For Life was held in 2003. The inaugural event raised just under $13,000. The last three Lift For Life events have all raised in excess of $100,000.

Fans can still make a “Lift For Life” donation by visiting the Penn State Uplifting Athletes donation page at: http://liftforlife.upliftingathletes.org/lfl2/

“Lift For Life has become a great tradition where Penn State Football and fans are able to raise more than $100,000 annually for kidney cancer patients and research,” said fifth-year senior tackle Eric Shrive (West Scranton), president of Penn State’s Uplifting Athletes Chapter. “I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of such a great tradition.”

During Shrive’s Penn State career, he has personally raised more than $112,000 for Lift For Life, including in excess of $42,000 for the 2013 event. He was selected the 2013 Uplifting Athletes’ Rare Disease Champion earlier this year.

The Penn State Lift For Life was held outdoors at the Penn State Lacrosse Field for the second consecutive year. The defense posted a 220-152 victory over the offense during the five strength and conditioning competitions, winning two of the three tug-of-war battles to conclude the event. The competitions included an obstacle course, sand bag stack (100-pound sand bags), sled pull and push, keg carry (150 pounds of sand) and the tug of war.

The offense won the 2012 Lift For Life, 176-136, over the defense.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved eight new therapies for the treatment of kidney cancer in the U.S. since the first Lift For Life in 2003. The Kidney Cancer Association has credited the Penn State Lift For Life as being a catalyst for the new treatments, according to Scott Shirley, Uplifting Athletes executive director.

Founded by Penn State Football teammates Scott Shirley, Dave Costlow and Damone Jones in 2003, Lift For Life has continued to build awareness and raise funds for the Kidney Cancer Association. The event is organized by Penn State Football Uplifting Athletes, whose members are on the Penn State football team, led this year by Shrive (Scranton), president of the chapter. Joining Shrive as Uplifting Athlete officers are: vice president - senior tackle Adam Gress (West Mifflin, Pa.); head of operations – senior center Ty Howle (Wake Forest, N.C.); secretary – sophomore cornerback Da’Quan Davis (Baltimore) and fundraising chairman – freshman tight end Adam Breneman (Camp Hill).

To help the Nittany Lion football student-athletes reach their initial goal of a cumulative total of $1 million raised, fans can visit the team donation page at: http://www.upliftingathletes.org. Fans also can send checks made out to Uplifting Athletes and send to: Deloris Brobeck, Penn State Football Academic Center, Lasch Football Building, University Park, PA  16802.