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CU football: Derek McCartney will donate blood marrow

Colorado defensive end Derek McCartney won't practice this week, and for good reason.

When head coach Mike MacIntyre got to Boulder three years ago, he started a program called "Be The Match." It's a program that helps patients with life-threatening blood cancers find a match for a marrow transplant.

MacIntyre said every year about 350 to 450 on campus sign up for the program and it turns out that McCartney was a match for a patient this year.

"We've had four young people — one coaches' wife, two other players and now Derek — who have been matches and have been able to save a life," MacIntyre said.