STANDISH, Maine – The Saint Joseph's College volleyball team will host a "Dig Pink & Purple" event when the Monks host Husson University at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, October 21st.
All fans in attendance are encouraged to join the SJC volleyball team in adorning pink attire in support of the "Dig Pink" initiative, a national event held every October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month – by the Side-Out Foundation. "Dig Pink" is hosted each year by middle school, high school, and collegiate teams across the nation to help increase awareness and raise donations in support of breast cancer research.
Saint Joseph's has hosted a "Dig Pink" match - which is typically very well attended - annually for the last few years. Husson held a "Dig Purple" event earlier this season and organizers of the Monks' efforts figured, after coordinating with the Eagles' coaching staff, that a fundraiser for both causes could be held on the same evening.
In an effort to support those afflicted with breast or pancreatic cancer, the volleyball program will contribute all gate proceeds and donations collected during the match to the local Cancer Community Center. Saint Joseph's will charge an optional $2 admission fee at the door and provide a container near the entrance for additional donations.
"When talking with the coach from Husson about their team's cancer awareness night, I thought it would be a good idea to combine (their event) with ours," adds senior Emilee Penman (Montville, Conn.), who has taken on a leadership role in organizing the event. "As a result, we decided to offer support for both pancreatic and breast cancer on our annual 'Dig Pink' night."
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, in their lifetime. Each year it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die. However, death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1990, in part to better due to screening and early detection, increased awareness, and continually improving treatment options.
Pancreatic cancer, the 4th leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, is one of the few cancers for which survival has not improved substantially over nearly 40 years. Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers. 94% of pancreatic cancer patients will die within five years of diagnosis – only 6% will survive more than five years. 74% of patients die within the first year of diagnosis.
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 430-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
