Saquon Barkley announced on Good Morning America Tuesday that he’ll raise money to support 22q, a rare genetic disease, through the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” initiative.

Raising awareness for 22q is personal for Barkley: his niece, Amirah, is afflicted with the disease. The New York Giants’ rookie said he plans to give his cleats to his niece and donate some of his own money to assist with 22q research.

22q is also known as DiGeorge Syndrome, and it could lead to heart defects, low levels of calcium in the blood, and poor immune system function, among other side effects.

Barkley is excited to use his platform as one of the NFL’s most prominent rookies to shed light on this rare disease.

One of the NFL’s most popular initiatives, the “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign allows players to wear custom cleats during week 13 of the NFL season. Players are typically not allowed to wear specially-designed cleats, but they can raise awareness for any cause or charity with their footwear because of the initiative.

Many players later auction off the cleats and donate the proceeds to the charity of their choice. Pittsburgh Steelers tight end and fellow Penn Stater Jesse James used the initiative to raise awareness and money for THON in each of the past two seasons.

You can watch Barkley’s full interview on Good Morning America here.