TDs for Diabetes: Auburn High School flag football players raise awareness, funds for diabetes care

Playing with a purpose is at the heart of every snap for Auburn High School flag football stars Olivia Pearl Simmons and Alyssa Kate Jackson. This season, with each touchdown and interception, the seniors hope to raise awareness and support for those living with Type 1 diabetes. 

Through their “Touchdowns for Diabetes” fundraiser, community members can pledge a donation for each touchdown or interception Simmons and Jackson record this season, or they can make a one-time gift in support of local diabetes care.

Funds raised will directly benefit diabetes care in the Auburn-Opelika community through the EAMC Foundation and the Diabetes and Nutrition Center (DANC), which provides diabetes education and counseling. 

For both Jackson and Simmons, the impact of diabetes is deeply personal.

Jackson is playing in honor of her sister, Ellie Ann, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 10. Seeing the daily challenges her sister faces has made the cause especially meaningful.

“Watching her strength and resilience inspires me to use my platform to help make a difference for others living with Type 1 diabetes,” Jackson says. 

Simmons also understands the impact of diabetes through her own family.

“Diabetes has had a large impact on my life as I witnessed the disease firsthand as my father, Kendall, lives with Type 1 diabetes,” Simmons said. 

The football tradition in the Simmons family runs deep. Simmon’s father played football at Auburn University and later became a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers while in the NFL. 

Since joining the flag football team, Simmons has found a way to carry that family tradition forward while using the sport to support a cause that has shaped her life off the field.

“Being a part of the Auburn High School flag football team has given me a platform to raise awareness, and I would love your support.”

The fundraiser will take place throughout the 2026 flag football season, and the seniors hope to earn community support with each big play. 

Auburn High School kicks off its season Saturday, Aug. 22, against Albertville, giving Simmons and Jackson their first opportunity to make an impact on the field while supporting others off it.

To learn more, make a pledge or donate, visit eastalabamahealth.org/touchdownsfordiabetes.

About East Alabama Health

East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, East Alabama Medical Center North in Opelika, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 336-bed regional referral hospital. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 4,100 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University.