PRESS RELEASE -- February 14, 2008 DATE CHANGE!
Join MVNU in fighting toughest opponent at THINK PINK Night
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio -- Judy Clevenger nearly collapsed when her daughter announced that she had been diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma—breast cancer. How was this possible? There was no history of breast cancer in the family.
Autumn was only 25 years old, had three children and a fourth on the way. That was more than two years ago.
“We all think breast cancer won’t happen to us, but the last statistic I heard indicated that 1 in every 8 women will get breast cancer in her lifetime,” explained Judy, an employee at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. “Throughout Autumn’s year-long aggressive treatment regime, I was amazed to learn how many local people’s lives have been touched by the dreaded disease.”
CANCER IN KNOX COUNTY
According to the Ohio Department of Health, there were 29 diagnoses of breast cancer in Knox County in 2004-06. There were over 100 cancer-related deaths in Knox County in 2005, 10 of them from breast cancer. The American Cancer Society reports that there were over 200 thousand new cases of breast cancer in America in 2006, accounting for 31 percent of all cancers in women. Through research and technology, about 75 percent are survivors. Thankfully, Autumn is one of them.
The battle against cancer can be overwhelming both for patients and their families. People rarely have an opportunity to do something on a grand scale to help fight this disease that has claimed the life of so many, but smaller ones surround us every day. One of these is Mount Vernon Nazarene University’s THINK PINK Night.
THINK PINK WITH US!
On Thursday, Feb. 14 (DATE CHANGE!), at 5:30 p.m., MVNU’s Lady Cougars will take on Walsh University. But the larger rivalry is against cancer itself. February is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and MVNU is asking the Knox County community to join it in supporting this cause. THINK PINK started two years ago with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. This year, over 600 teams at all levels nationwide are participating.
Buy your THINK PINK t-shirt prior to the game for $5 at Sport-N-Shoes (503 W. High Street), wear it to the game and get in for free. T-shirts will also be available at the door of the game. There will be free pink cotton candy and the first 100 people at the game will receive free cupcakes from The Pink Cupcake. A memorial wall will be available to honor those who have passed away from cancer or who are currently fighting it.
OUR SMALL PART: A BIG DIFFERENCE
“My mother passed away at 60 from ovarian cancer. It’s time that we bring attention to this disease so it can be eradicated. My goal is not just to promote breast cancer, but to invite all cancer survivors, sufferers and their supporters to this event,” said MVNU women’s basketball Coach Steve Gregory. “We hope to have a ‘pink-out,’ with everyone at the game wearing pink. We plan to make this an annual event to raise money for cancer research.”
Donation boxes will be available throughout the game. All proceeds will support cancer awareness and research through OSU’s James Cancer Hospital and other organizations. Put on your THINK PINK t-shirt, enjoy Lady Cougar basketball and help MVNU and Knox County fight cancer.
FOR MORE INFO
For more information about this event, please contact Jodi Bryant at (740) 397-9000, ext. 4352, or jbryant@mvnu.edu.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students and working adults. U.S. News & World Report ranks MVNU in the top 50 Best in the Midwest (Bachelor’s-Comprehensive) institutions for the third year in a row. With a 400-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and eight additional satellite Adult and Graduate Studies campuses throughout the state, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education to more than 2,670 students from 27 states and six countries/U.S. territories.
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