Every October, National Football League games are a pop of pink, with players wearing pink accessories, mascots waving pink flags and football fields marked with pink bows — all to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
During the month, professional sports teams join the international health campaign by showing solidarity, providing resources and hosting fundraisers to donate to charities. In 2001, the Women’s National Basketball Association were amongst the first parties to participate, holding Breast Cancer Awareness games during their August Fit Month, a series of events that promote physical and mental well-being for sports fans.
According to Assistant Athletic Director Kevin Johnson, there is no school-wide policy regarding breast cancer awareness, instead, individual teams and players are given the opportunity to choose how they observe the month. For example, football players are encouraged to wear pink during games. Senior Jeremiah Davis, who plays quarterback and wide receiver on the varsity football team, stocks up on pink sports gear and tries to wear it every game during October to honor his aunt who passed away from breast cancer while he was in middle school.
“A lot of people that play sports know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but I feel like a lot of people just wear (pink) to fit in and try to rock the style,” he said. “They might not have a reason. But since I have a connection, I try to take it more seriously. If you want to wear (pink) to fit in, it’s not really bad because you’re still representing it — just don’t do it as a joke.”
Davis also notes the importance of raising awareness outside of October, suggesting that Gunn hosts an event or creates merchandise.
“It would be cool and I think more people would notice (the cause),” he said. “It’s not like breast cancer awareness stops once the month is over, so we should continue representing it. It’s also more unique since other schools might only (host events) during October.”
For the past two years, senior Lia O’Donovan and her mom have collaborated with small businesses to host a day-long fundraiser in their front yard, selling baked goods and crafts to donate profits to the American Breast Cancer Foundation. With a history of cancer in the family, O’Donovan has grown up around fundraising walks and runs. This time, however, she decided host her own fundraiser control around where profits go.
Though O’Donovan appreciates sports teams raising awareness, she believes more information regarding breast cancer prevention and testing needs to be accessible.
“I know my brother’s soccer team will wear pink for their games, and last year, they all dyed their hair pink,” she said. “I think that’s a great way of raising awareness, but I think there’s another element of it where, yes, people are aware about breast cancer awareness month, and they’re aware that it is an issue, but there’s less awareness about getting tested and getting your mammograms because that is a real problem. People think it won’t affect them directly, but it always can.”
