Former Ram beats cancer, receives award

Andrew Glazer

NEWPORT BEACH -- Former football star Rich Saul on Thursday told the

American Cancer Society that battling colon cancer was a greater

challenge for him than reaching the Super Bowl.

“I appreciate people that have to go through it,” said Saul, who was

awarded the Courage Award by the Orange County branch of the American

Cancer Society at the Marriott Hotel. “It’s a lot tougher than football

ever was. At least in football, you have a game plan. Cancer is

unexpected.”

Saul, 51, of Corona del Mar, played center for the Los Angeles Rams from

1970 to 1981.

In April, after eight years of visiting children sick with cancer in the

hospital and raising funds for the society, Saul’s doctor diagnosed him

with colon cancer.

On Friday, eight months after his weekly chemotherapy treatments began,

Saul’s doctors gave him a clean bill of health.

The award recognizes the still square-shouldered Saul for being a cancer

survivor who has helped spread the word about early cancer detection,

said Jennifer Horspool, a spokeswoman from the society.

Approximately 150 volunteers from the American Cancer Society came to the

awards ceremony to dine and hear Saul speak.

“I really needed a platform to stand on and being an ex-Ram was getting

pretty old,” Saul said. “I had been sitting on the sidelines. All of a

sudden, I was playing in the game.”