Russell Wilson Explains His God-Given Purpose to Serve Others
Russell Wilson believes God gave him a greater purpose other than just going to the Super Bowl.
Wilson, the 26-year-old Christian quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, recently wrote a blog for the Seattle Children's Hospital Research Foundation. There, the Christian athlete spoke about his divine purpose.
Although Wilson and his Seahawks have managed to secure a spot in Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1, the Christian athlete has been working with the Seattle Children's hospital all season. That is where he said he has found joy this season.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"Sunday is game day for me, but my best day is Tuesday when I visit Seattle Children's," Wilson wrote in his blog on http://pulse.seattlechildrens.org. "All the amazing opportunities I've had on the field can't compare to helping kids whose lives are on the line."
Wilson said he started volunteering a couple of years ago, but has had his share of experience visiting hospitals when his father died from diabetes in 2010. He spoke about his own experiences helping him relate to families who are dealing with sick children in the hospital where he volunteers.
While he is talented on the football field, Wilson believes his God given purpose involves giving back to others.
"I believe God has put me on this earth to serve others. That's why there's nothing more fulfilling than walking into a child's hospital room and finding out how they're doing – listening to their stories," Wilson wrote. "All these kids are so brave and to be there for them and give them a boost is really important to me. What they don't know is how much they affect me: I get an even bigger boost from them!"
Last year, the Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Foundation launched a $100 million initiative to support research aimed at curing childhood cancer .
Wilson signed on to be the "team captain" in the initiative called "Strong Against Cancer" that seeks to end childhood cancer within the next decade. The quarterback explained why it was important to be involved in the initiative.
"Annually, pediatric cancers receive less than 3 percent of the National Cancer Institute budget, which is why it's so important for all of us to support initiatives like Strong Against Cancer," Wilson said last year in a Seattle Childrens Hospital release. "The scientists working on immunotherapy have the treatment and the results to get us to a place where childhood cancer is no worse than a common virus. All that's needed now are the resources to bring it to every kid who needs it."
