Donte Whitner Gives Back

Donte Whitner of the Buffalo Bills Hosts His 2^nd Annual Cancer Strike Charity Bowling Tournament and His 1^st Annual Youth Football Mini-Camp

During the first weekend of June Donte Whitner returned to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio to host a football mini-camp for the youth in the community,  create awareness of a disease that affects so many around the world, and raise funds to battle it .

The goal of Donte’s Youth Football Mini-Camp is to exercise sportsmanship, leadership and teamwork, in order to instill proper team values for use in both life and sports while displaying undying dedication and focus on achieving greatness within. Sports had always been a positive outlet for Donte growing up.  Learning the fundamentals of sports taught him the fundamentals of life, and allowed him to go out and add value to those around him. The youngsters that participated in his camp benefited greatly from his generosity, as did another cause close to his heart.

Last year Donte’s grandmother was diagnosed with lung cancer and he immediately wanted to do all that he could to help. “Getting her the best treatments at Cleveland Clinic just didn’t seem to be enough.” Said Donte. That’s when he came up with the “Strike A Blow Against Cancer” Cancer Strike Charity Bowling Tournament. 

His grandmother is currently in remission and is doing well. While he is continuing his quest with lung cancer he has added raising the awareness of Osteosarcoma to his mission.

Osteosarcoma is a serious form of cancer that is most common in children. It is a malignant tumor that grows inside bones and is almost twice more common in boys than girls ages 10-20. Donte brought a young man by the name of Malcolm Hills, Jr. to Buffalo to witness the Bills victory over the Bengals last November. While this was a trip of a lifetime for Malcolm, it was Donte who was touched beyond measure by the strength this teen-aged boy embodied. Malcolm was fighting a life threatening disease but did not become the disease; he taught others to live life to the fullest. When Malcolm, Jr. passed away on February 1, 2008 at the age of fourteen, there was no doubt in Donte’s mind that he would continue to spread the knowledge that he gained from this young man. So this year, not only is Donte doing this for his grandmother and those who continue to battle with cancer, he is doing this for his “kid brother” Malcolm “Snoop” Hills, Jr.

Donte states, “I am a strong believer that things happen for a reason and although we may not understand why at the time, there is a reason bigger than us. I am only one person trying to make a difference and not by my words but with my actions.”