Alumni Cheerleaders

Reunited and it "Cheers" so Good!

Nicole Douglas former Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader helping to fight the cause for Breast Cancer

Alumni Cheerleaders is excited to share this week’s featured member story about Nicole Douglas, former Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader. Also, read how she and other fellow team members are fighting the cause against breast cancer in special memory of one of their own NFL sisters. You can help them fight the cause too by clicking on the YouTube link www.KomenPhiladelphia.org/video

Nicole Douglas participated as an Eagles Cheerleader from 1997-2004. Nicole cheered for 6 years over a 7 year span and was a captain for 3 years. In 2003 she was selected to represent her squad at the Pro bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Nicole now represents the NFL Alumni Philadelphia Chapter Cheerleaders as the executive board's treasurer. The Alumni's journey began in Sept. 2009 with a PEC Alumni Reunion. Their members spanned from the 1960's to the 2000's.

As the executive board gathered for the first time, in search of a charity to support, they discussed how their own alumni have been affected by breast cancer. At the time of the reunion one alumna was currently undergoing chemotherapy and they weren't sure if she would be well enough to attend the long awaited event. Marylou Tammaro is a very special part of our alumni. Not only was she a cheerleader in the 1970's but she moved forward with the Eagles organization to become an assistant choreographer, head choreographer and then cheerleading director with a career spanning 20 years with the organization. After learning about Marylou’s fight, the board decided to commit themselves to the Komen promise to ‘help find a cure.’ This commitment and promise was for Marylou and the other alumni who have been impacted by this disease.

The NFL Alumni Philadelphia Chapter Cheerleaders’ participation in the 2010 Susan G. Komen ‘Race for the Cure’ led to the creation of Team Ra-Ras™. The driving force behind the efforts of Team Ra-Ras™ was led by the executive board’s membership chair Maggie Trush-Hammond. Under her leadership, the team raised $15,000 and claimed 1st place in the Community Group Category due to their fundraising efforts. They were all very excited and proud of the accomplishment, but they were just getting started!

In addition to community service, there was often talk about how amazing it would be to dance again. Not only did they get to dance again, but they got to dance together for the first time ever…..as alumni. Ladies from the 1960's, 70's, 80's, 90's and 2000's would get to share the field for one special day and one amazing cause! Their dream was about to come true!

On September 11th, 2010, 136 NFL Alumni Philadelphia Cheerleaders graced the field as Team Ra-Ras™ to film Team Ra-Ras Kick Breast Cancer. Their goal was to have their viral video on YouTube receive 1 million hits in three months, and United Healthcare of Pennsylvania would donate $100,000 to the Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen. Well, they received their 1 million hits in only 30 days!!

So, here they are today entering the second phase of their commitment and promise to ‘help find a cure,’ by which United Healthcare of Pennsylvania has agreed to donate $50,000 when the video reaches 5 million hits, and an additional $50,000 when it receives 8 million hits.

Thrilled to be able to make a difference by inspiring others to do their part, phase II of Team Ra-Ras Kick Breast Cancer comes with a very personal dedication. On January, 28th 2011, Janis Hill, Alumni & Team Ra-Ras™ member was laid to rest after losing her battle. Janis, was a breast cancer survivor, but underwent brain surgery to remove tumors believed to have metastasized from her breast cancer. For this reason, they have dedicated phase II of Team Ra-Ras Kick Breast Cancer and the next $100,000 to the memory of Janis Hill. Her dying wish was for Team Ra-Ras™ and the NFL Alumni Philadelphia Chapter Cheerleaders to continue their fight and help raise breast cancer awareness among African American women. Team Ra-Ras™ needs everyone to click on the YouTube link www.KomenPhiladelphia.org/video, post it on facebook pages, and email it to all of your contacts urging them to pass along the message. They want to end this disease forever so that our daughters, sisters, and future generations do not have to go through what their beloved friend Janis and her family went through. They want to help fulfill the Komen promise to end this disease forever.

This Mother's Day, May 8^th, 2011, Team Ra-Ras™ and the NFL Alumni Philadelphia Chapter Cheerleaders will be walking to support the Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen. Please help them reach their fundraising goal by making a tax-deductible donation today. To make a donation click here to go to Nicole's personal page: Do your part to kick breast cancer now at www.KomenPhiladelphia.org/Video.