Julian Edelman sends special gift to Coventry cancer patient

COVENTRY, R.I (WLNE) — Patriots wide-receiver Julian Edelman sent a very special gift to a woman in Coventry battling breast cancer for the second time.

Marlene Allen tells ABC 6 News she got a package from the Patriots star Thursday. Inside was a signed football with the message, “tough times don’t last, tough people do.”

"It’s like a dream come true to actually have the team that you’ve been following since you were 8 years old reach out to you,” said Allen.

Allen says that message holds some extra special meaning during what has been a very difficult battle.

"It has nothing to do with oh they gave me something. It has more to do with that it came from their heart,” said Allen.

So how did this all come about? Well, the Coventry woman says her husband posted some pictures of her journey through treatment on Twitter tagging the team and of course Edelman. From there, the Edelman actually reached out to them.

"He reached out to my husband actually and said if he didn’t mind messaging him and giving him our information,” said Allen.

Allen says the football will serve as a perfect reminder of hope as she continues her fight against breast cancer.

"It did make this journey a lot easier to tolerate,” said Allen.

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