Goucher Basketball Programs To Raise Breast Cancer Awareness During Saturday's Home Doubleheader Against Drew

BALTIMORE, Md. – Goucher College is joining the nation in promoting breast cancer awareness in the month of February during its Landmark Conference home doubleheader against Drew University on Saturday, February 2. The Gophers women's basketball team will take on the Rangers at 2 p.m. and the men will follow at 4 p.m.

During the doubleheader, both women's and men's basketball teams will don pink t-shirts over their uniform instead of the usual hooded warmup. Fans are encourage to wear pink for the game in support and to help raise awareness. In addition, pink ribbons will be available for those who have been or know someone that has been affected by cancer. There will be a limited number of t-shirts available for $12, a 50/50 raffle and $1 free throws with all proceeds going to the Red Devils organization, who will be in attendance.

The Red Devils, founded in 2002, is a breast cancer organization located in Towson. They have a partnership with 41 hospitals throughout the Baltimore and Washington D.C area all sharing the same mission to fund services that improve the quality of life for breast cancer patients and their families. These services include a variety of treatment support services at no charge to the patients living or being treated in Maryland. The Red Devils funds focus on helping families in three program areas which tend to be the most common barriers patients face. They help assist with treatment transportation, family support, and medical services and treatment-related therapies.

While October is the official Breast Cancer Month, the "pink phenomenon" in women's basketball began during the 2004-2005 basketball season, when Kay Yow's cancer recurred after being in remission for 17 years. Yow, the former NC State University head women's basketball coach, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, and passed away on January 24, 2009 after a 22-year battle with breast cancer. 

Uniting players, coaches, and fans to do something for the greater good that far exceeds wins and losses on the court.

Did You Know...

• Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for all women and the leading overall cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 20 and 59
• In the United States, breast cancer is expected to be newly diagnosed every three minutes, and a woman will die from breast cancer every 13 minutes
• African American women have a higher breast cancer death rate than women of any other racial or ethnic population
• Eighty percent of all breast tumors are benign
• There are several lifestyle choices that individuals can make to help reduce breast cancer risk including decreasing daily fat intake (especially saturated and hydrogenated) increasing fiber, eating fruits and vegetables, limiting alcohol, staying active and not smoking
• Breast cancer is the most invasive cancer among women in the United States accounting for nearly one out of every three cancers diagnosed