(Kirkwood, MO) – St. John Vianney High School has leapt into the ‘Rally for Rhyan’ campaign. Thousands of basketball fans from all over the country are looking for ways to support and encourage the 5-year-old Rhyan Loos.
Brad & Father Dave with D2 National Championship trophy
She is the daughter of Missouri assistant basketball coach Brad Loos and the grand-daughter of Austin Peay Head Coach Dave Loos. Rhyan was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer just before she turned five and according to the ‘Rally For Rhyan’ Facebook page, she just finished her fifth round of chemotherapy.
Here in the St. Louis area, Vianney High School has jumped in with both feet. Head Coach Kevin Walsh’s team hosts a ‘paint it pink’ game every year to raise money as part of the ‘Coaches v Cancer’ program. This week, by-the-way, is college basketball’s ‘Suits & Sneakers’ week. Again college sports is taking a redemptive lead on important issues.
All the proceeds from Vianney’s game on February 19th will go towards the needs of the Loos family and possibly to cancer research. Walsh has a vested interest in this particular fund raising effort. He is a close personal friend of Rhyan’s father Brad.
He told me recently the two have stayed close over the years and that Brad’s response to his daughter’s difficulties has been inspirational.
Walsh’s team does this kind of event every year, but wanted to be very intentional about supporting the Loos family. He has been working on making February 19th a special night since last Fall. He tells me Mizzou Head Coach Kim Anderson has been an amazing support for Brad and that he hopes the game on the 19th (against MCC foe DeSmet) will be a significant way to celebrate the character that Rhyan and her family have displayed and a way to raise some important funds.
We spoke with ‘Grandpa Dave’ back in the fall and the former St. Louis area high school coach couldn’t brag enough about Rhyan’s parents (Brad and Jen) and the way Austin Peay, Central Missouri and Mizzou had all stepped up to help.
Please visit the ‘Rally For Rhyan’ Facebook page and donate to their fund-raising endeavors. There will be room at Vianney High School for you to attend the ‘Rally For Rhyan – Paint it Pink Game’ on Friday night, February 19th to watch good high school basketball and to support a great cause.
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