The Jaguars are teaming up with national and local organizations in the fight against breast cancer during October which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The organizations include Baptist Health, the American Cancer Society, In the Pink and The 26.2 with Donna Foundation.
The Jaguars initiatives are part of the NFL's league-wide effort to support the fight against breast cancer. The culmination of the Jaguars efforts will be on Sunday October 20th, which is the Jaguars' Breast Cancer Awareness game day. The game is sponsored by Baptist Health, the official health partner of the Jaguars.
Jaguars President Mark Lamping expressed, "the Jaguars join with the entire NFL family in combating a disease that has taken far too many of our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends. Together, our combined resources will help take us one step closer to our goal of eradicating breast cancer in our lifetime."
Nationally, the "A Crucial Catch" campaign, in partnership with the American Cancer Society, is focused on the importance of annual screenings, especially for women who are 40 and older. Throughout October, NFL games feature players, coaches and referees wearing pink game apparel, on-field pink ribbon stencils, special game balls and pink coins - all to help raise awareness for this important campaign.
All apparel worn at games by players and coaches, along with special game balls and pink coins will be auctioned off at NFL Auction, with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society's Community Health Advocates National Grants for Empowerment (CHANGE) program. The CHANGE program provides outreach and breast cancer screenings to women in underserved communities. Jacksonville has been named one of the initial NFL markets being supported in the first year of this program.
Also, this year will mark the 15th anniversary of Zeta Tau Alpha's national ThinkPink® Ribbon Distribution Fan Outreach Program, which has donated over 5 million pink ribbons to NFL fans at games around the nation. The ribbons will be distributed at the Jaguars home game on October 20th.
Locally, the Jaguars have teamed up with the American Cancer Society and In the Pink to offer special ticket packages to fans which include pink breast cancer awareness T-shirts. $10 per ticket purchased through those organizations will be donated back to the two organizations.
On Thursday, October 17th, the team will hold a major fundraiser. Under the leadership of Michaela Bradley, wife of Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley, and Joelle Caldwell, wife of Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell, the newly established JWA (a network of Jaguars women made up of coaches' and player's wives, along with female staff, spouses/significant others) is co-hosting the 2013 NFL 101: Workshop for Women charity fundraiser at EverBank Field. This interactive workshop is designed to teach individuals the technical side of the game and will feature a Q&A with Jaguars players and opportunities to bid on great donated items. Proceeds will support In the Pink, a local non-profit boutique and salon dedicated to helping women heal, cope and survive the effects of cancer. A check presentation will be made at the October 20th game.
For the pregame ceremony and national anthem on October 20th, breast cancer survivors from Baptist Health will be holding the American flag on the field, and survivors from the American Cancer Society will hold the large pink ribbon, to symbolize the thousands of survivors on Florida's First Coast.
Baptist Health's Hill Breast Center will be the beneficiary of the Jaguars Foundation's 50/50 Raffle for Charity at the game. Jaguars fans will have the opportunity at the game to buy raffle tickets to support this cause. The funds will be used by Baptist Health for the follow-up diagnostic tests needed for crucial catch patients with abnormal results from their screening mammograms.
LEVY Restaurants will be selling special Jaguars Pink Ribbon refillable cups at the game. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the cups will be made to In the Pink.
Jaguars Foundation President Peter Racine also announced that the team will partner with The 26.2 with Donna Foundation, founded by breast cancer survivor Donna Deagan, to raise funds for ground breaking breast cancer research and empower women living with breast cancer. The Jaguars will support the 26.2 with Donna Foundation on various levels including providing incentives to fund-raisers for the 26.2 with Donna, the only national marathon dedicated exclusively to "Finish Breast Cancer;" sponsorship for 260 high school students preparing to complete a half marathon at the 26.2 with Donna, and support for children participating in the Family Fun Run.
In total, the team anticipates that more than $50,000 will be donated by the team and Jaguars fans during October to support the prevention, treatment and cure of breast cancer.
