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6-year-old fighting cancer leads 'Keep Pounding' drum ceremony

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A very special 6-year-old led the "Keep Pounding" drum ceremony at Bank of America Stadium Sunday afternoon ahead of the Carolina Panthers game against the New Orleans Saints.

https://twitter.com/Panthers/status/648170893609463809

Braylon Beam is a kindergartener at Rock Springs Elementary in Denver and is currently undergoing treatment for a tumor on his optic nerve.

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Before kickoff, after the National Anthem, Braylon pounded the drum to get the Panthers and the crowd fired up.

Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Western North Carolina, Beam served as the team’s honorary associate head coach during Fan Fest on Aug. 7 and had his wish granted to be the head coach of the Carolina Panthers for a day.

PHOTOS: 6-year-old fighting cancer coaches Panthers for fan fest

In May, he made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which inspired the actresses and TV personality’s #JustKeepDancing movement to raise money for pediatric cancer.

  • PRESS PLAY to watch Braylon pump up the crowd at Panthers fan fest:

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Life has not been easy for Braylon but he does have his moments including fan fest, which he said was the best day of his life.

“You want as many good days as you can,” his father Jesse Beam said. “If this is one of the best days in his life, it's amazing for us.”

Some of Braylon’s favorite hobbies include taking selfies, playing on his iPad, and of course, dancing. He is a linebacker on his flag football team.

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