FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Hayley Cooke
Hayley.Cooke@preventcancer.org
703-837-3692
Alexandria, Va. On October 9, the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s junior varsity and varsity field hockey teams played hard on the field, but not for a trophy or title. Instead, the TJHSST field hockey teams played for cancer awareness in their annual “Play for the Cure” game.
Cancer awareness is especially significant to the team this year. At the game they celebrated their coach, Aubrey Lear, who is in remission from multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma, and commemorated Kelly Brodnik, senior player Mallory Brodnik’s younger sister, who passed away in September after a two-year battle with osteosarcoma.
“I believe that talking about cancer and raising awareness is super important because most people don’t know anything about cancer until it affects someone they love,” said Brodnik.
In the weeks leading up to the game, TJHSST field hockey seniors fundraised for the Prevent Cancer Foundation®, a national nonprofit organization based in Alexandria that is dedicated to saving lives across all populations through cancer prevention and early detection.
“We love seeing young people getting involved and rising up to make a difference, and we are so happy to see you emerging as leaders in our community,” said Lisa Berry Edwards, Managing Director of External Affairs for the Prevent Cancer Foundation®, during remarks at the game. “You give me hope for a cancer-free future. Together, we can stop cancer before it starts.”
The team also supported Breast Cancer Awareness Month by donning pink jerseys and encouraging spectators to wear pink in the stands, in what they called a “Pink Out.” Each year, more than 255,100 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer (cancer that has spread from where it started in the breast into surrounding healthy tissue). When detected early, the five-year survival rate of breast cancer is 99 percent. To reduce your risk of cancer or detect it early (when successful treatment is more likely), the Prevent Cancer Foundation® encourages you to exercise, maintain a healthy weight, get recommended screenings and learn your family’s health history.
To learn more, visit preventcancer.org.
About the Prevent Cancer Foundation®
The Prevent Cancer Foundation® is one of the nation’s leading voluntary health organizations and the only U.S. nonprofit organization focused solely on cancer prevention and early detection. Founded in 1985, it has catapulted cancer prevention to prominence and fulfills its mission through research, education, outreach and advocacy.
