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Cal Rugger's Charitable Mission

April 3, 2019
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The Latin phrase Spectemur Agendo is framed over the entrance to the great room the Doc Hudson Fieldhouse at the University of California. Used as a motto by the Golden Bears rugby program, the saying translates loosely to, "Known By Your Deeds."

Like all the student-athletes who play for Cal's oldest intercollegiate athletics program, Christian Dyer knows those words apply both on and off the rugby pitch.
 
A center for the Golden Bears, Dyer has teamed up with the Greater Bay Area chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to honor the memory of his late cousin Cory in a fundraising campaign underway now until June 1.
 
The LLS raises funds for their mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. When Cory Dyer died in a 2011 car accident after a long battle that had left him cancer free, his family was not just heartbroken, but also in a deep financial hole created by the 15-year journey they had taken with him through a labyrinth of hospital and medical bills.
 
"Not just the effects of the disease itself on my cousin, but the hardship on his whole family was very hard," said Dyer. "I've met many others and their families who have endured similar battles, and this campaign is a great way to make a difference for them and others in the future."

Dyer has been an important member of the Rugby Bears since he arrived at Cal from Sacramento and Jesuit High School. He was just a first-semester freshman when he was selected to the Bears' PAC Rugby 7s championship team in 2016, and has also been a member of the Bears' 2017 national 7s championship team and the 2018 national 7s finalists. This spring, he is No. 3 on the team in tries scored.
 
In the classroom, Dyer has earned the distinction of Scholar Athlete as he pursues a major in Political Science. Added to these accomplishments is the impact he, his family and friends want to make with their goal of reaching $100,000 in donations to LLR by the end of the campaign.
 
"Cory was only six years old when he got diagnosed, and his fight was so lengthy," Dyer said. "Personally, this campaign is a chance to be reminded of his fight, and it connects to a mindset we apply every day in Cal rugby, 'grateful for everything, entitled to nothing.'"
 
Head coach Jack Clark expressed appreciation for the commitment Dyer and his teammates make in their various roles as active citizens in the community.
 
"Community service is something we encourage in all our players," Clark said. "There are many worthy causes that need the passion and energy of individuals like Christian, and those pursuits reinforce a fact that I share frequently. The world's problems are not going to be solved by individuals. They will be solved by teams of people who are working together."
 
To join Dyer and the LLS in their fight against cancer by making a donation to his fundraising page, visit pages.mwoy.org/gba/bayarea19/christianjd.
 
The Golden Bears continue their journey into the 2019 national collegiate postseason for 15s beginning with the Round of 16 on April 13 against UC Davis at 1 p.m. PT on Witter Rugby Field. The University of California is also a host site for a national quarterfinal on April 20. Saint Mary's hosts an April 27 semifinal and the national collegiate championship is May 5 in Stevens Stadium at Santa Clara University. 

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Cal Rugger's Charitable Mission

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