Tom Coughlin Charity Makes A Difference For Families Coping With Cancer
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- For Giants coach Tom Coughlin, it's all about winning -- and that goes the same for his work with the charity he founded, the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund.
When Coughlin was the coach at Boston College in the 1990s, one of his players, Jay McGillis, was diagnosed with cancer. Coughlin was so inspired by McGillis' battle that he created the fund to help families dealing with the challenges that cancer can bring.
LINK: More On the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund
CBS 2's Diane Macedo interviewed Meghan Gambichler, a cancer survivor who now volunteers for the organization. Gambichler was diagnosed in 2008 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and became involved with the Jay Fund when she was invited to an ice cream social at Giants Stadium.
"It was so exciting for me because I was actually diagnosed the day of the Super Bowl in 2008," Gambichler said. "So it was an amazing experience for me to see my team win, which is so exciting, and then to meet the players.
"I think, for me, it was so amazing to know that you have this team supporting you, figuratively and literally -- your family, your friends -- but also to have an actual team, the New York Giants, supporting me in my battle ... that was just something I'm forever grateful for."
The Jay Fund provides scholarships and financial aid to families dealing with cancer.
"Because when you're diagnosed, it's not just what happens to you," said Gambichler, a student at NYU. "It really affects your family. So it becomes a full-time job for a lot of parents, and for these parents, having any sort of financial support is so important."
To watch the full interview, click on the video above.
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