JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Boonie White is the Jaguars’ No. 1 player – she even has the jersey to prove it.
The 2-year-old, who is battling a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma, was recognized as a Jaguar for the day during last week’s game against Tennessee.
She and her family got to watch the Jaguars’ big win from a suite at TIAA Bank Field, where they met former Jaguars star John Henderson and mascot Jaxson de Ville and watched as her name was displayed on the Jumbotron.
“She got to sign her contract. … Watched the game. It was even more amazing that we won,” McBride said.
The special treatment was set up by the Jaguars and Community Pedscare to give the toddler a break from her doctors’ appointments and chemotherapy.
Whitney McBride, Boonie’s mom, said the little girl was diagnosed in September.
“She has about seven to eight tumors inside of her abdomen around her chest and lungs. It also affects her bones. Her bone structure has changed,” McBride said. “Even though she’s going through this, her personality outshines all that.”
McBride said her daughter has a 50/50 chance of survival, but she didn’t even know Boonie was suffering before she was diagnosed because she has autism and is nonverbal.
“She doesn’t speak so to find out she has a big tumor in her abdomen, I knew she was in pain, but we would never know,” McBride said.
McBride said she’s thankful for the great doctors at Nemours and Wolfson Children’s Hospital who give Boonie the care she needs.
“To have a team of doctors that actually love your child and actually care for her progress, it’s amazing,” she said.
Boonie has a team of doctors and a playoff team on her side as she tackles this aggressive cancer.
She and her family – who are Jags fans for life – will be watching the wild-card playoff game from home Saturday.
If you’re interested in helping her family with her doctor visits and chemotherapy treatments, they have a GoFundMe set up.