Vikings’ Kenechi Udeze finishing at USC, raising awareness

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Minnesota Vikings defensive end Kenechi Udeze, who missed all of the 2008 season after he was diagnosed with leukemia, intends to play in the 2009 season.

But the former USC All-American will not report to the NFL team’s off-season workouts in Minnesota because he is finishing classes for his sociology degree at USC.

I spoke with Udeze recently and he was excited about completing his schoolwork, his comeback and spreading the word about the need for people to be tested as possible donors for bone marrow transplants.

He was particularly moved by this story about Jasmina Anema, a 6-year-old girl in need of a bone marrow transplant. He hoped that people would check out this link to find out how they could be tested.

— Gary Klein