For Steven Jackson, this season is about returning to Pro Bowl form and laying the groundwork to tranform the St. Louis Rams back into a winning franchise. But while he's pursuing both with laser-like focus, No. 39 is also making sure to find ways to do help others however he can.

This Sunday, S-Jax will join some 100-odd other NFL players who will be wearing pink cleats and gloves in support of breast cancer research. Steven and his foundation have participated in fundraisers for the Susan G. Komen Foundation in the past, and he is honored to be continuing the effort to bring attention to help find a cure.


The cleats (Steven Jackson).


The gloves (Steven Jackson).

As No. 39 wrote on his Twitter account, http://www.twitter.com/sj39:

I must admit, I like the cleats, they really came out looking good…(good job Nike)

I do want to bring awareness to BC. Please get early screening & males can be affected, honestly. My prayers go out to all, be blessed.

HELPING WISHES COME TRUE
Last weekend, the Rams' official web site posted a story about Steven and Jeffrey Driscoll, a 14 year-old S-Jax fan who is battling bone cancer.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation brought Jeffrey to St. Louis, where he met the Rams and his football idol.

Jeffrey, [his mother] Tina and his cousin Tyler arrived in St. Louis on Friday night. When they woke up Saturday morning, they headed to the Russell Training Center where they would have the opportunity to watch practice.

When that practice was complete, the Rams rushed over to Jeffrey, signed his jersey, took photos and chatted with him. When they were done, Jackson was there waiting for him. Jackson then escorted Jeffrey into the team’s locker room where he had his own locker set up for him with a No. 39 jersey bearing the name “Driscoll.”

Jackson then provided Jeffrey with anything he could possibly want including a pair of his personalized gloves and cleats, all autographed of course. The group then went on a tour of the facility with Jackson as the guide.


Steven with Jeffrey and coach Steve Spagnuolo (StLouisRams.com)

The experience was especially meaningful for Steven.

“This kid has yet to really start living his life and for him to have been dealt this unfortunate circumstance and to be able to walk around and be in awe of meeting some of his favorite guys and just seeing the facility,” Jackson said. “He was so excited just to walk into the locker room and this is somewhere I go daily. For him to see that and put him in a place where it brings nothing but smiles and happiness, it goes back to the old cliché that you just can’t ever be too grateful for what you have.”

“Just to know that someone is on to a terminal illness and one of their wishes is to meet you is kind of humbling,” Jackson said. “It kind of makes you take a step back and look at yourself. I think a lot of times we don’t think outside of ourselves, we want to complain about little things. But when someone is going through something that can get the best out of you and you don’t know what is to come, for them to want to meet you and want to share their life with you, even if it’s just for a moment is humbling.”

Read the full story by Nick Wagoner on the Rams web site.

RELATED STORIES
Jackson Grants a Wish (StLouisRams.com, Sept. 26, 2009)
http://www.stlouisrams.com/article/74920/