This month in Henderson, Nevada, 100+ kids and teens attended CSL’s Gettin’ in the Game Junior National Championship (JNC), the first and only national sports competition designed specifically for the bleeding disorders community.
The event brings together children ages 7-18 years old who have bleeding disorders like hemophilia and von Willebrand disease to safely train and compete in baseball, swimming, golf, and for the first time this year, basketball.
Attending the event were 112 competitors from bleeding disorders chapters across the United States and 60 employee volunteers, who served as coaches, mentors and caddies. CEO and Managing Director, Paul McKenzie, joined in on the event and at the welcome dinner spoke about CSL’s patient focus, commitment to innovation and STEM programs for students.
He was joined by Bob Lojewski, Senior Vice President and General Manager for North America and a former college basketball player, who highlighted the lessons he learned playing sports. Attendees also heard from Gettin’ in the Game athletes who shared their personal stories about living with a bleeding disorder while also competing in sports.
To support the Nevada community where the event was held, CSL partnered with Serving Our Kids Foundation, an organization that provides weekend meal bags to 4,000 kids in southern Nevada. Participants helped prepare 720 meal bags for distribution.
