Bart was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1956 during the 17th round. His playing time was limited during his first few years on the team, but the arrival of Vince Lombardi as the Packers coach in 1959, changed Starr’s football career forever. Under Lombardi’s leadership, Starr led his team to five NFL titles and two Super Bowl Championships and became one of the NFL's great field leaders.

In June 1970, Coach Lombardi was diagnosed with an aggressive form of colon cancer and passed away just 10 weeks later at the age of 57. In honor of his legacy, Bart and Cherry served as Honorary Chairpersons of the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation for 44 years and contributed to raising more than $16 million to help provide the best care to those fighting cancer.

Co-founders, Bart & Cherry Starr, were high school sweethearts at Montgomery’s Sidney Lanier High School. Bart started his football career as a high school sophomore and continued to play in college at the University of Alabama while Cherry attended Auburn University. The two eloped in May 1954 during their sophomore year of college.  

Growing up, Bart had a younger brother, Hilton E. "Bubba" Starr. In 1946, Bubba stepped on a dog bone while playing in the yard and three days later tragically died of tetanus. After his brother’s passing, Bart’s relationship with his father deteriorated and he quickly learned how the loss of a child can impact a family.

That feeling of loss was experienced again when Bart and Cherry’s youngest son Bret, died unexpectedly at the young age of 24.

Bart and Cherry knew they wanted to help other families from feeling a similar pain of losing a family member. After learning that pediatric cancer receives minimal research funding, the couple knew this was the area they wanted to focus on advancing. Their hope is to see these precious children and their families receive the safest care designed especially for them and, thus, the Starr Children’s Fund was created through the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. The Starr Children’s Fund is a truly unique endowment dedicated to pediatric only cancer research, treatments and caregiver support.