Dec. 17, 1999

Villanova University head football coach Andy Talley and his Wildcat squad will take part in a bone marrow testing drive on Saturday, Dec. 18. Talley will take his players to St. Margaret's School on 227 North Narberth Avenue in Narberth, Pa., to be tested in hopes of finding a match for Felicia Falcone. Falcone is suffering from cancer and is in need of a bone marrow transplant.

Approximately 60 Wildcat football players will travel to St. Margaret's in two shifts, with the first group being tested at 11 a.m. and the second at 2 p.m. The fully-funded bone marrow drive is open to anybody wishing to participate from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Participants must be between 18 and 60 years of age.

"It's the idea of giving a gift for Christmas," said Talley. "If we can help save somebody's life, that's a great gift."

The Bone Marrow Donar Program is something that is very familiar to Talley. In 1992, Talley raised over $10,000 to determine the blood type of 200 individuals with Villanova football student-athletes and the Wildcat coaching staff serving as the foundation. As a result of his success, in 1993 he secured a $60,000 grant and organized the "Football United For Life" campaign, which attracted over 950 potential bone marrow donors. Since 1992, Talley's efforts have resulted in over 3,000 potential donors being successfully tested and entered into the registry.

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