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Top 7: Breast Cancer Awareness in Sports
It has hard to find someone who has not been affected by breast cancer, whether it’s on a personal level or by knowing someone else fighting the disease. October is officially National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, however, the spirit of support is felt year-round.
Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer for women. Roughly 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer at some point in her life. While these statistics are concerning, the American Cancer Society reported that death rates from cancer have been declining since 1990. Strides in the fight against cancer have come primarily from advances in cancer and medical research, increased awareness and earlier detection through screening.
Although much progress has been made in breast cancer awareness and treatment, there remains much to be accomplished. Professional sports teams and players show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month through various initiatives.
Some ways professional athletes showed their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in 2010 include:
National Football League (NFL)- The NFL collaborated with the American Cancer Society to support breast cancer awareness month with “A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives” campaign. This campaign was designed to encourage all women over 40 the importance of an annual mammogram. Game balls and merchandise used during the October games were signed and auctioned off to benefit the American Cancer Society. A few of the items featured in this campaign included: game balls with pink ribbon decals used for every down; players wore pink cleats, gloves, helmet decals, etc.; pink goal-post padding in the end zones; pink coins used for the coin toss; and A Crucial Catch pink glow necklaces for all fans who attended the Bears-Giants game.
Major League Soccer (MLS)- MLS players throughout the league wore a special pink MLS W.O.R.K.S. ribbon patch on their jerseys, pink adidas sweat bands and several goalkeepers used pink gloves to show their support. Game-worn autographed jerseys and special-edition pink match balls were auctioned off to raise funds for breast cancer research. All 16 In addition to the visible memorabilia, MLS clubs conducted one night of local activation to raise awareness and funds through the month of October.
National Basketball Association (NBA)- NBA teams each do their own thing to celebrate breast cancer awareness month. For example, the Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Cavaliers have teamed up to “Box-Out Breast Cancer.” In the 2009-2010 season, to support this initiative, Mo Williams, Zydrunas Illgauskus and Anderson Varejao wore the pink Nike Hyperizes and LeBron James wore a special version of his Nike Air Max LeBron VII in a game against the Chicago Bulls.
NASCAR- In 2009, at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C., four NASCAR teams took at least one car and tricked it out in pink colors. Kyle Busch, part of the JGR team, is pictured below with the M&M’s Brand/Komen racecar.
Major League Baseball (MLB)- MLB and Susan G. Komen have partnered together and are “Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer.” In support of MLB’s annual Mother’s Day initiative to support breast cancer research, players use pink bats stamped with the MLB breast cancer awareness logo. MLB players, coaches and umpires also showed their support by wearing the symbolic pink ribbon decals, as well as pink wristbands, cleats and necklaces.
National Hockey League (NHL)- To show their support for breast cancer awareness month some NHL players opt for pink equipment. NHL’s cancer awareness program, Hockey Fights Cancer, has two charitable partners that deal primarily with prostate cancer research. However, this does not mean that players don’t participate in the Pink campaign. Two players in particular, Rick DiPietro of the New York Islanders and Colton Orr of the Toronto Maple Leafs, have made big news sporting pink equipment in the NHL. DiPietro ordered an entire set of goaltending equipment in pink so that he could wear it throughout the month of October, and Orr will be lacing up some pink skates. DiPietro and Orr are not the only players donning pink equipment throughout the month of October; but regardless of what is worn, all items worn in support of breast cancer awareness are auctioned off and funds go towards cancer research.
Professional Golf Association (PGA)- The first “Pink Out” was held during the PGA Tour’s Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in 2009, in support of Phil Mickelson and his wife Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer just prior to the event. This has since become an annual event where PGA Tour golfers, caddies and fans all wear pink during Saturday’s third round to honor Amy, as well as the millions of other women coping with breast cancer. The Colonial’s sponsor, Crowne Plaza, donates $100 for each birdie and $500 for each eagle that golfers make on Saturday to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
These are just a few of the ways that sport organizations and athletes show their support for breast cancer awareness month. To learn more about Susan G. Komen for the Cure and ways to get involved please visit http://ww5.komen.org/GetInvolved/GetInvolved.html.
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