Think Pink
As Taylor said earlier in the week, this is a Panthers blog, but sometimes it is necessary to post outside the parameters of the team\.
In the month of October you may notice the excess of pink on the field. Players are wearing pink towels, gloves, skull caps, and shoes. You’ll even notice a pink ribbon with the NFL logo on many of the fields. The NFL is doing this in order to raise awareness for breast cancer, a topic close to home as my Great Aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer last week. The NFL is one of the only major sports leagues that alters uniforms and gear to support a specific charity (see NBA and hispanic heritage, a la Los Heat).
In order to raise awareness for the society, the NFL allows players to wear a variety of Pink apparel to allow viewers to notice their involvement. Our Carolina Panthers have a majority of the players replacing traditional black caps with Pink hats. All the coaches can be seen wearing a traditional side-line hat with the pink awareness ribbon as an addition.
NFL.com/Pink states:
"The NFL, its clubs, players and the NFL Players Association are proud to support the fight against breast cancer. Our campaign, “A Crucial Catch”, in partnership with the American Cancer Society, is focused on the importance of annual screenings, especially for women who are 40 and older. Throughout October, NFL games will feature players, coaches and referees wearing pink game apparel, on-field pink ribbon stencils, special game balls and pink coins – all to help raise awareness for this important campaign. All apparel worn at games by players and coaches, along with special game balls and pink coins will be auctioned off at NFL Auction (www.NFL.com/auction), with proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society and team charities. This is an issue that has directly touched the lives of so many in the NFL family, and we are committed to helping make a difference in breast cancer prevention."
Not only are the players and coaches wearing Pink but the fans can bid on official game-worn apparel to benefit the American Cancer Society.
Breast Cancer hits home with the Panthers. According to Panthers.com
"“My family has been affected by it four times,” DeAngelo Williams said. “I’ve lost three aunts to it and my mom got it diagnosed five years ago. She’s been in remission for five years.”"
The NFL is taking great strides in order to help with the fight against breast cancer. Every NFL player has a mother, and those mothers could be victims to the disease. With all this being said, go to NFL.com.Pink and help the NFL fight for a cure to breast cancer. And remember that every catch is “A Crucial Catch” in the war against cancer.