Hassan Diarra threw on a pair of teal, star-shaped glasses, grabbed a purple inflatable guitar and began rocking out to Quad City DJ’s song “Space Jam” with the kids at the Connecticut Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Hartford on Wednesday.
The senior UConn guard continued strumming his guitar, teaching dance moves, and by the time Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk” started playing, it turned into a party. Three or four children got in on the fun as did freshman Youssouf Singare, Director of Player Development Mamadou Diarra and Associate Head Coach Kimani Young. Andrew Hurley joined in with a pink blow-up saxophone as his mother, Andrea, stood off to the side preparing glow-stick necklaces with pride beaming from her eyes.
“I can’t even describe it,” Andrea said. “It’s like my two favorite worlds colliding.”
Andrea began volunteering to help people affected by cancer shortly after her husband, head coach Dan Hurley, accepted the head coaching job at Rhode Island. She was invited to join the Connecticut Children’s Foundation board of directors in 2023 and started volunteering her Tuesdays – and sometimes Thursdays – to playing with kids dealing with cancer and blood disorders.
UConn’s visit to the Connecticut Children’s Cancer Center has turned into a party pic.twitter.com/mtu61S26kR
— Joe Arruda (@joearruda9) January 24, 2024
Her relationship with the hospital is what led to Wednesday’s visit. Every player, and just about every staff member, from the No. 1-ranked, reigning national champion UConn men’s basketball team filled the unit.
“It’s a great feeling to put some joy in these kids’ lives,” Diarra said, still rocking the glasses. “Coming here just humbles you always. To have this opportunity is a blessing and I’m grateful to come here and bring joy to these kids. We had a concert just now and it was amazing.”
The Huskies stayed about an hour longer than originally scheduled to chat with kids, sign autographs and color pictures.
“It’s emotional. I think you certainly leave here feeling like a different person in terms of just the…
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