JCSU women's basketball will host Play 4Kay game against St. Augustine's on Saturday, February 11th inside Brayboy Gymnasium
Play 4Kay information
Charlotte, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University women's basketball team will be suiting up in their pink uniforms on Saturday, February 11th when they face Saint Augustine's College inside Brayboy Gymnasium to support the WBCA and their Play 4Kay campaign.
For 2012 and beyond, the WBCA Pink Zone has been rebranded as Play 4Kay. The mission of the initiative, which was brought to life in 2007, will remain intact: a nation of coaches raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund will continue to be the official charity of the initiative.
The justification behind the rebranding is to keep the story and legacy of Kay Yow at the forefront of everything the Fund commits itself to.
Fans are encouraged to wear pink. Representatives from the Susan G. Komen for the Core Charlotte Affiliate will be present with information and materials pertaining to breast cancer and prevention. The Charlotte Fire Department will also have their pink fire truck positioned near the gymnasium to draw more attention to the event.
The WBCA's charity of choice is the Kay Yow Cancer FundTM. Founded in December 2007, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund is a 501 c(3) charitable organization committed to being a part of finding an answer in the fight against women's cancers through raising money for scientific research, assisting the underserved and unifying people for a common cause.
The late Kay Yow, the Fund's namesake and former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, was a past president and founding member of the WBCA, and a galvanizing voice for the Association. Yow was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, and passed away on January 24, 2009, after facing her third bout with the disease.
"We enjoy these opportunities to participate in causes that our close to our hearts,” said JCSU women's basketball head coach Vanessa Taylor. “Cancer has affected our communities, including our close loved ones and it's so important to be a part of raising awareness. The WBCA does a fantastic job of spreading the word and partnering with them is just one of the ways we show our support.”
Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with breast cancer; and every 13 minutes a woman will die from breast cancer in the United States. This year around 2,030 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer; and of those more than 450 will die.
JCSU is currently 16-4 overall, 10-1 in the CIAA, and 4-1 in the Southern Division. The Golden Bulls appeared in the USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches poll this week at No. 24. Tip-off for Saturday's game is scheduled for 5:30 pm inside Brayboy Gymnasium.
