BOSTON (CBS) — After missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury, Patriots defensive lineman Dominique Easley is excited for the start of trainingcamp next week.
But he’s even more excited about his upcoming football camp at Hormel Stadium in Medford coming up this Saturday . It’s not only the first time he’s playing host to such an event, it will also be his first football camp — ever.
The camp will have both offensive and defensive drills for the kids in attendance, ranging from ages 6-17, but it has a much deeper meaning as well. Easley hopes to raise awareness and help find a cure for fibromyalgia, a syndrome that causes severe pain that affects people physically, mentally and socially.
Easley’s younger sister, Destinee, was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 12, and has changed pretty much everything in her life over the last five years. Once an active dancer and participant in school plays, Destinee has had to give it all up to battle fibromyalgia.
“My life is not the same,” said Destinee, now 16-years-old. “I’m pretty much in pain all day. On good days I’m fine and good to go. On bad days I’m in bed all day because I can’t move.”
Through her good days and bad days, Destinee continues to be an inspiration to her older brother both on and off the football field.
“It’s hard, but at the same time it’s inspiring, to see her go through this kind of pain and still wake up with a smile,” Easily recently told WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s Adam Kaufman. “It makes me not complain about life at all.”
Destinee said she suffered from depression following her diagnosis, and the steroids they had given her to combat the pain caused more bad than good. She’s now trying acupuncture in the hopes it will help alleviate her constant bouts of pain.
But through it all, Destinee finds herself smiling a lot more thanks to all the support she’s received from friends and family.
“I just smile all the time and I don’t even know how I do it,” said Destinee. “I’m always smiling and laughing, but I think that just runs in our family.”
In hopes of helping find a cure for his sister and the estimated 5.8 million Americans others who battle fibromyalgia, Easley has also created a website, Easleysawareness.com, to tell everyone about his cause. He hopes his status as an NFL player will help get his message across.
“I decided to use the position I’m in to raise awareness at a faster rate than if I wasn’t in this position,” he said. “A lot of people don’t really know about fibromyalgia.”
That included his Patriots teammates, whom he said have been very supportive in his family’s battle after he shared their situation with them.
Easley himself also continues to battle as he comes back from a knee injury that ended his rookie campaign in in mid-December. He wasn’t on the field when the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX, adding more fuel to his fire. He said his knees are feeling good, and the defensive lineman is ready for the mental hurdle that will come when he takes the field for the first time.
“There’s always a mental hurdle. I just have to keep looking forward and keep positive,” he said.
And Easley knows if he’s ever in the need for some inspiration, he can just pick up the phone and give his younger sister a call.
BOSTON (CBS) — After missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury, Patriots defensive lineman Dominique Easley is excited for the start of trainingcamp next week.
But he’s even more excited about his upcoming football camp at Hormel Stadium in Medford coming up this Saturday . It’s not only the first time he’s playing host to such an event, it will also be his first football camp — ever.
The camp will have both offensive and defensive drills for the kids in attendance, ranging from ages 6-17, but it has a much deeper meaning as well. Easley hopes to raise awareness and help find a cure for fibromyalgia, a syndrome that causes severe pain that affects people physically, mentally and socially.
Easley’s younger sister, Destinee, was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 12, and has changed pretty much everything in her life over the last five years. Once an active dancer and participant in school plays, Destinee has had to give it all up to battle fibromyalgia.
“My life is not the same,” said Destinee, now 16-years-old. “I’m pretty much in pain all day. On good days I’m fine and good to go. On bad days I’m in bed all day because I can’t move.”
Through her good days and bad days, Destinee continues to be an inspiration to her older brother both on and off the football field.
“It’s hard, but at the same time it’s inspiring, to see her go through this kind of pain and still wake up with a smile,” Easily recently told WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s Adam Kaufman. “It makes me not complain about life at all.”
Destinee said she suffered from depression following her diagnosis, and the steroids they had given her to combat the pain caused more bad than good. She’s now trying acupuncture in the hopes it will help alleviate her constant bouts of pain.
But through it all, Destinee finds herself smiling a lot more thanks to all the support she’s received from friends and family.
“I just smile all the time and I don’t even know how I do it,” said Destinee. “I’m always smiling and laughing, but I think that just runs in our family.”
In hopes of helping find a cure for his sister and the estimated 5.8 million Americans others who battle fibromyalgia, Easley has also created a website, Easleysawareness.com, to tell everyone about his cause. He hopes his status as an NFL player will help get his message across.
“I decided to use the position I’m in to raise awareness at a faster rate than if I wasn’t in this position,” he said. “A lot of people don’t really know about fibromyalgia.”
That included his Patriots teammates, whom he said have been very supportive in his family’s battle after he shared their situation with them.
Easley himself also continues to battle as he comes back from a knee injury that ended his rookie campaign in in mid-December. He wasn’t on the field when the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX, adding more fuel to his fire. He said his knees are feeling good, and the defensive lineman is ready for the mental hurdle that will come when he takes the field for the first time.
“There’s always a mental hurdle. I just have to keep looking forward and keep positive,” he said.
And Easley knows if he’s ever in the need for some inspiration, he can just pick up the phone and give his younger sister a call.
BOSTON (CBS) — After missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury, Patriots defensive lineman Dominique Easley is excited for the start of trainingcamp next week.
But he’s even more excited about his upcoming football camp at Hormel Stadium in Medford coming up this Saturday . It’s not only the first time he’s playing host to such an event, it will also be his first football camp — ever.
The camp will have both offensive and defensive drills for the kids in attendance, ranging from ages 6-17, but it has a much deeper meaning as well. Easley hopes to raise awareness and help find a cure for fibromyalgia, a syndrome that causes severe pain that affects people physically, mentally and socially.
Easley’s younger sister, Destinee, was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 12, and has changed pretty much everything in her life over the last five years. Once an active dancer and participant in school plays, Destinee has had to give it all up to battle fibromyalgia.
“My life is not the same,” said Destinee, now 16-years-old. “I’m pretty much in pain all day. On good days I’m fine and good to go. On bad days I’m in bed all day because I can’t move.”
Through her good days and bad days, Destinee continues to be an inspiration to her older brother both on and off the football field.
“It’s hard, but at the same time it’s inspiring, to see her go through this kind of pain and still wake up with a smile,” Easily recently told WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s Adam Kaufman. “It makes me not complain about life at all.”
Destinee said she suffered from depression following her diagnosis, and the steroids they had given her to combat the pain caused more bad than good. She’s now trying acupuncture in the hopes it will help alleviate her constant bouts of pain.
But through it all, Destinee finds herself smiling a lot more thanks to all the support she’s received from friends and family.
“I just smile all the time and I don’t even know how I do it,” said Destinee. “I’m always smiling and laughing, but I think that just runs in our family.”
In hopes of helping find a cure for his sister and the estimated 5.8 million Americans others who battle fibromyalgia, Easley has also created a website, Easleysawareness.com, to tell everyone about his cause. He hopes his status as an NFL player will help get his message across.
“I decided to use the position I’m in to raise awareness at a faster rate than if I wasn’t in this position,” he said. “A lot of people don’t really know about fibromyalgia.”
That included his Patriots teammates, whom he said have been very supportive in his family’s battle after he shared their situation with them.
Easley himself also continues to battle as he comes back from a knee injury that ended his rookie campaign in in mid-December. He wasn’t on the field when the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX, adding more fuel to his fire. He said his knees are feeling good, and the defensive lineman is ready for the mental hurdle that will come when he takes the field for the first time.
“There’s always a mental hurdle. I just have to keep looking forward and keep positive,” he said.
And Easley knows if he’s ever in the need for some inspiration, he can just pick up the phone and give his younger sister a call.
BOSTON (CBS) — After missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury, Patriots defensive lineman Dominique Easley is excited for the start of trainingcamp next week.
But he’s even more excited about his upcoming football camp at Hormel Stadium in Medford coming up this Saturday . It’s not only the first time he’s playing host to such an event, it will also be his first football camp — ever.
The camp will have both offensive and defensive drills for the kids in attendance, ranging from ages 6-17, but it has a much deeper meaning as well. Easley hopes to raise awareness and help find a cure for fibromyalgia, a syndrome that causes severe pain that affects people physically, mentally and socially.
Easley’s younger sister, Destinee, was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of 12, and has changed pretty much everything in her life over the last five years. Once an active dancer and participant in school plays, Destinee has had to give it all up to battle fibromyalgia.
“My life is not the same,” said Destinee, now 16-years-old. “I’m pretty much in pain all day. On good days I’m fine and good to go. On bad days I’m in bed all day because I can’t move.”
Through her good days and bad days, Destinee continues to be an inspiration to her older brother both on and off the football field.
“It’s hard, but at the same time it’s inspiring, to see her go through this kind of pain and still wake up with a smile,” Easily recently told WBZ NewsRadio 1030’s Adam Kaufman. “It makes me not complain about life at all.”
Destinee said she suffered from depression following her diagnosis, and the steroids they had given her to combat the pain caused more bad than good. She’s now trying acupuncture in the hopes it will help alleviate her constant bouts of pain.
But through it all, Destinee finds herself smiling a lot more thanks to all the support she’s received from friends and family.
“I just smile all the time and I don’t even know how I do it,” said Destinee. “I’m always smiling and laughing, but I think that just runs in our family.”
In hopes of helping find a cure for his sister and the estimated 5.8 million Americans others who battle fibromyalgia, Easley has also created a website, Easleysawareness.com, to tell everyone about his cause. He hopes his status as an NFL player will help get his message across.
“I decided to use the position I’m in to raise awareness at a faster rate than if I wasn’t in this position,” he said. “A lot of people don’t really know about fibromyalgia.”
That included his Patriots teammates, whom he said have been very supportive in his family’s battle after he shared their situation with them.
Easley himself also continues to battle as he comes back from a knee injury that ended his rookie campaign in in mid-December. He wasn’t on the field when the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX, adding more fuel to his fire. He said his knees are feeling good, and the defensive lineman is ready for the mental hurdle that will come when he takes the field for the first time.
“There’s always a mental hurdle. I just have to keep looking forward and keep positive,” he said.
And Easley knows if he’s ever in the need for some inspiration, he can just pick up the phone and give his younger sister a call.