NFL and American Cancer Society Team Up For ‘A Crucial Catch’

As the nation marks the annual National Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, the American Cancer Society is joining the National Football League (NFL) and its owners and players with a breast cancer screening campaign, called “A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives.” This campaign reminds women 40 and older about the importance of getting a mammogram and clinical breast exam every year to find breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage.

Throughout October, NFL games will feature team owners, players, coaches and officials wearing pink game apparel to raise awareness for the campaign. Apparel worn at games by players and coaches and special footballs and pink coins will be auctioned off at NFL Auction, with proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society and team charities.

This campaign also involves participation from Society volunteers and breast cancer survivors on a local level with the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer® walk. This non-competitive event unites entire communities to celebrate breast cancer survivors, educate people about how to reduce their breast cancer risk or find the disease early, and raise funds to help fight the disease.

Additionally, the Society’s advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), is participating in the Crucial Catch campaign by encouraging Congress to allocate more funding for cancer research, which will lead to a better understanding of breast cancer, the importance of early detection and treatment, as well as patient care. As Congress determines cancer research funding, ACS CAN and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer advocates are asking elected officials to use their role to make a difference and help to save more lives by maintaining and increasing funding for cancer research.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), a lifesaving program that enables uninsured low-income women to receive free early detection tests for breast and cervical cancer. Unfortunately, the program’s current funding level only allows fewer than one in five eligible women to be tested. Greater funding of this program will permit more detection and help to save more lives, building upon the more than eight million screening exams that have already been completed.

More than 2.5 million Americans who are surviving breast cancer will celebrate a birthday this year thanks to the American Cancer Society and supporters like the NFL who are helping save lives. Fans can visit www.NFL.com/pink to learn more about reducing their risk of breast cancer and scheduling an early detection exam.

Santa Fe is Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

Since 1993, nearly 6 million walkers have raised more than $400 million through the American Cancer Society Making Strides events. Last year, almost 700,000 walkers across the country collected over $60 million to help create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays.

Join us for an inspiring event to honor breast cancer survivors, raise awareness about the disease, and to help save lives. With every step you take, you'll be giving people facing breast cancer more candles to light.

Oct 9 - Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Santa Fe, NM at Villa Linda Park, Arroyo de los Chamisos

The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk is as unique and special as the stories that motivate each of our dedicated walkers, donors and volunteers. Every step that we take is personal and each donation helps save lives. Making Strides walks are non-competitive and three to five miles in length. There are many ways you can get involved. Just register to participate and then:

Start your own team

Join an existing team

Participate as an individual walker

Volunteer to help with walker check-in, refreshments, registration

Show your support by donating to a participant or the event

If you are outside of New Mexico, you can still find an event near you and join us. Strides events take place all across the nation.

One of the ways the American Cancer Society is saving lives is by finding cures through groundbreaking research. The Society invests more in breast cancer research than in any other cancer type. Society-funded research has led to the discovery of lifesaving breast cancer treatments, including Tamoxifen and Herceptin. To learn more about Making Strides and how the dollars raised are making a difference, visit cancer.org/stridesonline and you can also read about the History of Making Strides. Thanks for your participation and support!