Even professional leagues like the NFL have helped fight breast cancer by displaying pink on players’ uniforms, as well as the officials’ hats, wristbands and whistles.

Sports teams here on campus are following in the NFL’s footsteps in the fight by raising money. The girls volleyball team showed their support by hosting the fundraiser “Dig Pink” in which they received pledges for every kill, ace, dig, and assist that a team member made. All profits were donated to Side Out, an organization that creates grants for breast cancer research and supports agencies who provide comfort for those afflicted with breast cancer.

“The reason why we got involved in breast cancer is that it’s a big problem in our community,” freshman Caleigh Ryan said. “We are the only team that does ‘Dig Pink.’”

On December 4 the tennis team will host an event called “The Round Robin Double” which invites any high school tennis player in the county to pay a certain amount of money in order to play one match either as a team or a single player.

“The team has also been wearing our tennis shirts that includes the pink breast cancer ribbon before and after our games to show that we are against breast cancer,” freshman Jane Wilson said.

Sports teams are not the only ones who have the opportunity to give back, as the annual San Diego Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure will be held on November 16. The race raises money to find a cure for breast cancer while celebrating the men and women who have survived and honoring the ones who have lost their battles.

Students can participate by joining [the Race for the Cure] at Balboa Park.

“For students, the price is $17. This money will be donated to uninsured women with breast cancer in San Diego county,” foundation executive director Laura Farmer said.

In order to be involved with the walk, each participant must raise a minimum of $2300. This money goes towards fees of the walk and the rest is donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Research fund. This year, the walk generated over 9.5 million dollars for the fund.

Each participant can be part of a team or walk as an individual. These girls walked as “Flockers of Knockers.” They raised their money by “flocking”, as well as a booth at a street fair.

“Flocking is putting plastic lawn flamingos onto friends’ lawns along with a note
that explains why were are walking as well as telling them that in order to get
the flamingos off of their lawn, they have to donate to us, and/or give us a
name of someone else to flock,” Kelsey Stout, senior, said.

After a week or two of doing this, the flocking reached out past their friends onto people that they didn’t know. This gave them a lot more fundraising oppurtunites.

Although some of the girls just did it for the community service hours or to help the cause, a couple had a more personal connection and reason to walk. McBride walks for her mom’s patients, and her aunt who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I walked for my mom, who is now a four year breast cancer survivor and also just
because it’s fun to do the walk,” Stout said.

The walk starts at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Along the way, there are various locations where people gather to cheer on the walkers. Almost everyone involved in the walk will say this is one of the most enteraining parts. 

“Every year, there is a tiny old man in a wheel chair who wears a sign around his neck that says ‘I love boobs’. Next to him, stands an old woman dressed as a clown with a sign
that says ’36 year survivor’. They are husband and wife and every year they come out and cheer on the walkers,” Stout said.

The 60-mile walk concludes at Petco Park, followed by a ceremony celebrating anyone who walked or participated in the event. At this ceremony, all the walkers participate in a victory walk together and speakers share their survival stories.

“The best part of the walk in at the closing ceremony when you lift up a shoe for all those who have died and the survivors. You think about how bad your feet hurt and how hard you worked, and know that none of the pain matters,” Bender said.