Age: 9
Hometown: Oak Park, CA
Game: UCLA vs. Virginia
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Luc Bodden LOVES sports, especially football. “He eats, breathes and loves everything about the game!” says his mom Stacey. But if you are going to talk football with this smart and funny 9 year old, you better know your stuff, because Luc always is ready to get into it. Luc’s such an avid fan that he even dreams of becoming a player when he grows up. He also will happily tell you about his wish-list of jerseys from the Dallas Cowboys — his favorite pro team — and other football-related swag that he’d like to see donated to UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.
It is at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital where Luc now is treated for sickle cell anemia. Before coming to UCLA, he was treated at another hospital, where he received two bone-marrow transplants. But the difficulty of his treatments doesn’t get Luc down, and his warmth and spirit have won the hearts of everyone who has worked with him. He is a weekly ray of sunshine in the pediatric outpatient clinic and infusion center.
Says his friend Blake, Luc’s “really the type of guy who, like, if you’re down, like, you can always go to, and he’ll always, like, be there for you.” Another buddy, Holden, adds, “He’s just really nice.”
