Many teams and franchises from multiple sports incorporate breast cancer awareness into their games and events by wearing pink, and this is most apparent during the month of October. Many players choose to wear pink during October to symbolize their support for the cause, from socks and shoes to armbands and mouthpieces.
During October, NSU’s Athletic Department offered free admission for cancer patients and survivors and up to four of their family members to special cancer awareness games. The first 200 people to arrive at each game also received free “Think Pink” T-shirts.
Patrick Lillis, graduate assistant for marketing and production in the Athletic Department, explained that a Cancer Awareness Event is put on during one game for each sport, for a total of 6 events throughout the year.
“This year’s theme is ‘Think Pink,’” said Lillis. “We partnered with Memorial Cancer Institute for this season to help with our events.”
Through the partnership with Memorial, Lillis said, athletics provides information on cancer resources and treatments, in addition to vouchers for a special $50 mammogram during October and basket raffles.
Lillis said, “Our goal is to raise awareness in the fight against cancer, to recognize survivors and warriors of the disease and to remember those who lost their battle with cancer.”
Kim Carbo, assistant athletic director, said that prior to the games, there was a moment of silence for those who lost their battle with cancer.
“We also recognized any survivors or warriors in attendance for their courage and determination,” she said.
Additionally, athletics raffled a Pink Gift Basket, courtesy of Memorial Cancer Institute, at each game.
One fall breast cancer awareness event remains. The women’s soccer game on Oct. 10 has been rescheduled for Oct. 29 at 7 p.m.
Since each sport hosts a cancer awareness event, special games occur throughout the school year. The basketball “Think Pink” event will be Feb. 10, 2016, a doubleheader, with women’s at 5:30 p.m. and men’s at 7:30 p.m.
Carbo said that these on-campus awareness events are important because of the prevalence of breast cancer in people’s lives, both directly and indirectly.
“It’s vital that people are educated about early detection and given the proper resources to be able to prevent and treat the disease,” she said.
For more information, contact Kim Carbo at 954-262-8254 or carbo@nova.edu.
