During the month of October, the NFL Crucial Catch campaign looks to raise awareness for detectable cancers as well as recognize those who are currently battling or have tackled cancer.
Fifty survivors and their families joined us on field for a pregame moment.
Moments later during the official coin toss, Josh Herron walked out onto the field with the team captains of the Cleveland Browns at midfield.
Josh is an extraordinary young man whom we had the opportunity to honor as the First and Ten Coin Toss Captain at the Browns vs. Ravens game on October 7th.
Diagnosed with more than one cancer before his 21st birthday, Josh is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia at Angie Fowler Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Institute at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center.
In his free time, Josh is devote to supporting others as a volunteer youth sports coach and teacher. He began giving back through his church teaching classes to kids once a week after school. Eighth graders who are preparing for their confirmation ceremonies needed additional time and attention from Josh on the weekends as well.
Through sickness and bouts of health, Josh continues to teach and help others who need him.
"Complaining is never going to make it any better," he said. "I try to avoid it as much as possible."
In his senior year of high school, the Brunswick native was relatively healthy, he played baseball and received a scholarship to attend Baldwin Wallace University.
Three weeks into classes, he was diagnosed with leukemia.
Josh is a History and Education major.
"I want to be a high school history teacher," he said. "You have to have a degree in what you want to teach."
Until he gets to that point, he continues to do what he loves—coaching and teaching as a way to give back to his community and prepare for his future career.
His high school basketball coach was influential in his endeavors, inspiring him in more ways than one.
"He was a great guy overall, a friend and a dad now, more than a coach," Josh said.
Volunteering by coaching multiple youth sports teams is how he gives back, but Josh has also made a point to watch sports on TV, specifically Browns games. He even followed Baker Mayfield when he donned an University of Oklahoma uniform, so he was more than excited to see him live as the Browns starting quarterback.
Thanks for giving back to the youth in your community, passion for education, and sports as you continue to fight your battles. Your co-captains and the entire Cleveland Browns team are cheering you on!
Interested in signing up your volunteer group for First and Ten? Group forms available! **Click here** to learn more about how to #give10
Follow @BrownsGiveBack on Twitter and Instagram and tell us what you are doing to help others using #give10 to unite us all as Browns fans. Give 10 hours, help your community.
The Browns are dedicated to #give10 through the team's First and Ten initiative. Launched in June 2014, the Cleveland Browns First and Ten campaign is the team's community program, established to inspire fans to volunteer in and help their communities throughout the world by volunteering for 10 hours each year. Since its inception, Browns fans have committed to volunteering more than 2.0 million hours to impact their communities by pledging to #give10. Through First and Ten, the Browns are the only NFL club to promote a long-term volunteering program that unifies the team and its entire fan base, with the goal of impacting every individual's city across the globe, as well as the franchise's local community. All Browns fans are encouraged to join the volunteering effort by signing the First and Ten pledge on the team's website and by sharing their stories with #give10
