OAKLAND (KRON) — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the National Football League is helping to spread the word.
You may have seen a touch of pink during the broadcast over the weekend, as it has been emblazoned on parts of the field, towels, and uniforms. It is all part of the NFL’s awareness initiative, and the Oakland Raiders recently reached out to the community as players hosted nearly two dozen survivors at the team’s facilities.
Silver, black and a hint of pink. It was the perfect color scheme for a team that is tackling a much larger issue than football — stopping cancer in its tracks.
“The fact that the Oakland Raiders is fully embracing the breast cancer community, and moms like me, is just life changing,” breast cancer survivor Heidi Garland said.
Garland was one of 17 women who defeated cancer, and she was invited to spend an evening with the raiders. All survivors and their caregivers dined with select players, and took a tour of the facilities.
Among the hosts was wide receiver Rod Streater, who has a personal connection to the disease.
“My mom, she fought breast cancer for five years and she passed away last October,” Streater said. “Before then, I was always into it. I’ve seen first hand what she went through, and I just wanted to raise awareness and make a big impact and me being with the raiders, I have a platform to do so.”
The American Cancer Society estimates about 1 in 8 women in the US will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime.
The good news is there are currently more than 2.8 million survivors, a number which continues to increase thanks to early screening.
“By the time I got my mammogram, my breast cancer was more advanced, and yet, I’m a mother of sons, and the fact that something as manly as the NFL is embracing breast cancer, it’s huge,” Garland said. “I can’t even begin to tell you how much it means to me as a wife and mother.”
Each team designates one matchup during the month as their breast cancer awareness game.
The raiders have chosen to have it this Sunday against the Denver Broncos.