Saturday, June 10, 2006

MLB's Fight Against Prostate Cancer

Just as Major League Baseball teamed up with the Komen Foundation for a breast cancer awareness campaign on Mother's Day, the league is doing the same for prostate cancer on Father's Day.

On Sunday, June 18, the league will team up with Gillette and the Prostate Cancer Foundation to reach out to millions of fans to increase prostate awareness and raise funds for cancer research. During the league's Home Run Challenge, players and fans are invited to make a pledge on MLB.com for each home run that is hit during 60 selected games in the week leading up to Father's Day. The total number of homers in those games will be multipled by each pledge, and the total amount will be given to the Prostrate Cancer Foundation.

In addition, the players, coaches, umpires and trainers will wear blue wristbands and ribbon decals to show their support for the cause. Blue has become the symbolic color for prostate cancer awareness.

The Home Run Challenge is similar to the Strikeout Challenge that was held on Mother's Day to raise breast cancer awareness and funds for the Komen Foundation. Fans at MLB.com are still bidding on the pink baseball bats that were used during the campaign.

No comments: