Caitlin and Adam Thielen started the Thielen Foundation to benefit the hospital's mental health unit.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Vikings Wide Receiver Adam Thielen and his wife Caitlin Thielen started the Thielen Foundation back in 2018.
One of their missions with it focuses on mental health and the behavioral unit M-Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital.
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Thielen Foundation focuses efforts on mental health and behavioral unit at M-Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital
Vikings Wide Receiver Adam Thielen and his wife Caitlin Thielen started the Thielen Foundation back in 2018. One of their missions with it focuses on mental health and the behavioral unit M-Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital.
“Cate and I, when I first got into the NFL and first got married, we knew we wanted to find a way to give back and we did a lot of stuff with other players and their foundations,” said Thielen. “Three to four years ago, we finally established ourselves in the NFL a little bit and that was the time to try something and start to give back in this community that’s done so much for us.”
“Cancer is a disease, mental health is a disease,” added Caitlin. “A lot of times they can’t control it or circumstances they grew up in so we want to make sure they know we are there to talk with them and share our story because everyone deals a little bit with mental health, encourage them it gets better. With our faith, we try and encourage that because maybe that will help them move past what they’re going through a little bit or at least encourage them.”
“It’s the best thing we ever did and every time we come and visit the hospital or visit these kids that don’t have some of the resources or opportunities that we had and just to give back something little and to see their faces and how excited there are to see us or hear us talk about a certain topic that’s not football, it’s pretty special and makes you understand why you do it,” said Adam.
“A lot of times these kids see what we do on Sundays, lights and fame, we have the same struggles,” Adam added. “Life is tough and there will be difficult times and good times. How can we better deal with these things?”
“It’s just a really uplifting place and when we leave here, we feel so good inside,” said Caitlin.
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