Brett Gardner is using his cleats to raise money for children with cancer.
The Yankees’ outfielder will wear shoes Friday night against the Red Sox that will be auctioned off later to benefit pediatric cancer.
“I am going to be wearing special cleats that New Balance has designed and have a gold bottom on them. Gold is the color for pediatric cancer,’’ said Gardner, who visited Sloan Kettering Hospital on Tuesday. “The Yankees have stepped up and played a part in it. I think on MLB.com for the next week or two after that we are going to auction those cleats off. The proceeds from that are going to go to Sloan-Kettering cancer research. Whoever wins that auction the Yankees are going to give them four tickets to a game and bring them out for a pre-game ceremony and present them with the cleats. It’s going to a great cause.’’
Gardner’s visit reaffirmed how fortunate he is that his children are healthy.
“There are a lot of kids there that have been there a while and undergoing some pretty serious treatments and going through a really tough time right now,’’ Gardner said of the patients at Sloan Kettering. “It’s always hard to see kids in that position and families in that position. It makes me realize how fortunate I am to have two healthy little boys and not have to be going through something like that.’’
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness and Gardner wanted to bring attention to that issue as well as raise some money.
“Less than four percent of all money raised for cancer research goes to pediatric cancer,’’ Gardner said. “Obviously I think that number needs to get a little higher.’’