CONCORD, N.C. --This month, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is sporting lavender-accented racing gloves to represent pediatric cancer awareness as part of The Dale Jr. Foundation's Driven to Give Gloves program.
During each month of the program, a Patient Champion from Nationwide Children's Hospital is the focus of the campaign. At Dover, the Patient Champion is Grant Reed, whose name will appear above the passenger door of Earnhardt's No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS.
Four years ago, Reed was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the back of his head near the brain stem called Medullablastoma. Although the tumor was removed when Reed was 11 years old, he suffered severe complications. However, after being treated in the Nationwide Children's Hospital's inpatient rehabilitation unit, Reed was able to regain control of his speech and physical movement.
Now at 15 years of age, Reed is an avid NASCAR fan and enjoys keeping up with the sport.
At the end of the month, Earnhardt's lavender-accented gloves will be auctioned off to raise funds for the hospital's clinical and research programs.