Jodie Symington to receive Breathing Life Award

Fundraiser Jodie is an inspiration

Jodie Symington battles cystic fibrosis, which attacks the internal organs and the digestive system, clogging the body with a sticky mucus, while climbing Mt. Everest. She does this to raise money for CF Trust and on May 28th she will be honored in London.

An awards spokesman said: "Jodie is a true inspiration to the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) community.

Please submit your inspirational stories to - stories@trustedsports.com


Jodie Symington

Full article can be read at The Shields Gazette
By Terry Kelly

Jodie Symington, 24, from Hebburn, has been put forward for a prestigious Breathing Life Award, partly for conquering the world's highest marathon.

Despite her medical condition, Miss Symington last year completed a gruelling 10-day trek on Mount Everest, to raise cash for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

An awards spokesman said: "Jodie is a true inspiration to the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) community.

"Despite suffering all the usual symptoms of CF, as well as diabetes, reflux and gallstones, Jodie continues to push herself to the limit and raise funds for the CF Trust and prove that CF won't hold her back.

"In the past year alone, she has taken part in the gruelling Everest marathon, her sixth Great North Run, and the Great North Swim.

"With her family and friends, she has helped raise more than a phenomenal £100,000 for the CF Trust.

"As well as all this, she still finds time to study for her BSc in applied biology at Newcastle University."


Please submit your inspirational stories to - stories@trustedsports.com

Taylor Fisher - Softball Player Plays Through Cystic Fibrosis

Taylor Fisher

"Typical teenage pastimes are some of Fisher's favorites. But when she applies those same fingers to a softball, Fisher can roll it around in her right hand, grip the seams and propel it forward with at least six different pitches.

Not everyone knows that one of Western North Carolina's brightest young prospects has cystic fibrosis.

The disease puts Fisher at risk of overheating during games with the Warlassies, affects her ability to break down and absorb food and puts Fisher at risk of life-threatening lung infections.

“I hate it when people feel sorry for me,” said Fisher, who was diagnosed with CF when she was 11 months old. “I don't let CF stop me from doing the things I want to do.”


Read the entire article at the Citizen's Times.

Please submit your inspirational stories to - stories@trustedsports.com

Tae Kwon Do Black Belt is a True Inspiration

Here's an inspirational story about Tommy Riendfleisch, a 25 year old, 3rd degree black belt who was born with scoliosis, a heart murmur, and autistic with Asperger's Syndrome.

Health-Challenged Tae Kwon Do Black Belt is a True Inspiration



Read the story HERE.

Please submit your inspirational stories to - stories@trustedsports.com

Adam Bender One Legged Baseball Player

Here's an inspirational baseball story about an 8 year old catcher with one leg.

"Adam Bender, 8, is one of several kids who plays catcher in Southeastern’s rookie league at Veterans Park. What makes Adam stand out is that he plays one of the toughest positions on the field with only one leg. Because of cancer, he had his left leg amputated when he was one. Adam doesn’t use a prosthesis, and only uses crutches when he reaches base for the Astros. Charles Bertram READ THE STORY

Since the story of 8-year old cancer survivor Adam Bender was published in the Lexington Herald-Leader, and on http://www.kentucky.com/, on June 1, 2008, the one-legged catcher has been invited to throw out first pitches at a Chicago White Sox game, a Cincinnati Reds game, a Houston Astros game, and has been invited to a Garth Brooks benefit in Las Vegas. On June 6, 2008, Adam threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Adam Dunn of the Reds."

The ESPN E:60 video profile on Adam Bender - View Video

Please submit your inspirational stories to - stories@trustedsports.com

CNN Heroes - Retired Navy Capt. Ed Nicholson

I was forwarded a great story from CNN Heroes about Retired Navy Capt. Ed Nicholson's Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing which helps rehabilitate wounded servicemembers.

"Through free classes and outings, Nicholson's organization, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, helps rehabilitate injured and disabled servicemembers and veterans.

Nicholson saw that the discipline of tying flies, which requires patience and training, benefited veterans recovering from injuries. And it helped them relax.





"I'm doing something that gives me as much satisfaction and gratification of anything that I've really done. I loved serving my country. I was proud to serve for 30 years. But I'm incredibly satisfied with what I'm doing now."

Read the entire article at CNN Heroes

Please submit your inspirational stories to - stories@trustedsports.com

Blind Free Throw Shooter

Rick Reilly wrote an article in ESPN the Magazine about a blind designated free throw shooter in a CYO basketball tournament. This is a great inspirational story about Matt Steven and his awesome older brother Joe.

Joe Steven was able to get all the teams and refs of a CYO charity tournament to allow his brother Matt Steven to shoot all of his team's free throws throughout the tournament.


Matt Steven can't see the hoop. But he'll still take the last shot.
by Rick Reilly

A few seconds left. The game teeters on these two free throws. The shooter gulps. The packed gym goes silent, save for the tapping of a white cane on the back of the rim. That's right. The shooter's brother is under the hoop, rapping a cane on the rim. That's because the shooter, Matt Steven, is blind.

So why is a blind kid in a competitive CYO game for sighted high schoolers in Upper Darby, Pa.? Because he doesn't like to miss anything -- especially free throws.

Matt, a senior, had been on the St. Laurence CYO team for a year and never played in a game -- never expected to. "He just likes being on the team," says Matt's brother and coach, Joe. Matt shoots free throws every practice, though, making about half. And that's what gave Joe a crazy, unthinkable, wonderful idea.

Before a charity tourney this past February, Joe asked the other teams if Matt could shoot all of St. Laurence's free throws. Amazingly, they agreed. So did the refs. A blind kid was going to be his team's designated shooter. Hey, it's still better than Shaq.

Read the rest of this heartwarming story at ESPN.com:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3967807

Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger

Against all odds on a gridiron in South Bend, Indiana, Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger in twenty seven seconds, carved his name into history books as perhaps the most famous graduate of the University of Notre Dame.

The son of an oil refinery worker and third of 14 children, Rudy Ruettiger rose from valleys of discouragement and despair to the pinnacles of success. Today, he is one of the most popular motivational speakers in the United States. It took years of fierce determination to overcome obstacles and criticisms, yet Rudy achieved his first dream - to attend Notre Dame and play football for the Fighting Irish. As fans cheered RU-DY, RU-DY, he sacked the quarterback in the last 27 seconds of the only play in the only game of his college football career. Rudy Ruettiger is the only player in the school's history to be carried off the field on his teammates' shoulders.

The Rudy Play - 1975 Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech


The True Rudy Story Part 1


The True Rudy Story Part 2



The Rudy Foundation
1333 N. Buffalo Drive
Suite 250
Las Vegas, NV 89128
http://www.rudyinternational.com/