Warren Junior Partners With CK Foundation to Fund Cancer Support

Mike Papouras, a junior cornerback at University School, will direct a fundraising effort during Friday's playoff game against Howland. The Warren-based event aims to generate revenue for the CK Foundation, a nonprofit that supports families dealing with childhood cancer. Papouras named the initiative "Some Things are Bigger than Football," a title borrowed from a 2023 tribute in Mentor.

The fundraiser will feature a gold-out game, with players wearing decals and gold laces to match the official color of childhood cancer awareness. Papouras stated the primary goal is to "raise money to support families in the fight right now." The event takes place in Warren, where University School competes for a playoff berth.

The concept originated from a game on October 20, 2023, at Mentor High School. That evening, the Cardinals named Jack Sawyer, then 17, as honorary captain while he fought Ewing sarcoma. Players from the opposing Euclid team, who wore yellow, presented Sawyer with a shirt bearing the fundraiser's name. Papouras was 13 at the time and served as the superintendent of Euclid City Schools' son. He recalled realizing that some youth face hardships far greater than his own, prompting his desire to make the burden slightly lighter for them.

Sawyer died shortly after the 2023 game. This fall, Papouras contacted Sawyer's mother, Dawn, to request permission to use the tribute for a new fundraiser. In his letter, he wrote that he had never met Sawyer but admired how the teen lifted others while being a cardinal. Dawn described the gesture as amazing and said she is deeply touched and proud. She is expected to join Papouras on the field for Friday's game.

Support extends to Sawyer's former school. Dawn reported that a Mentor High football player informed her the entire Cardinals team will wear yellow socks against Euclid on Friday night. The senior players decided to find a way to remember Sawyer. Dawn also credited Justin Hodge, a former Mentor student now at Miami University, for helping keep the legacy alive.

The message includes Sawyer's personal motto, PACE, which stands for Positive Attitude Changes Everything. Papouras hopes attendees will hear the motto and carry it with them. Dawn expressed gratitude to the young people championing the cause and those continuing to support the memory of her son.