SHSU to "Pink Out" for Breast Cancer Awareness

Even though orange and white are the official colors of Sam Houston State University, on Oct. 6 campus organizers hope the dominant color will be pink.

That's the day the university, in conjunction with Zeta Tau Alpha women's fraternity, will sponsor the inaugural Kats for the Cause event, a "pink-out" day to promote breast cancer awareness and education.  

The disease is diagnosed in one out of eight women --- and in rare instances can strike men as well.

"The purpose of the Kats for the Cause-Pink Out is to create an awareness in the community about the prevention, detection, and treatment options for breast cancer," said Rosanne Keathley, associate professor of health and kinesiology at SHSU and chairman of the event.  

"Resource personal from the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Young Survival Coalition and the Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization, and local breast cancer survivors will be available following the race and during tailgating to provide educational information concerning breast cancer," she said. "The goal of the event is to motivate women to make positive behavior changes in their lifestyle and to seek appropriate medical care when needed."

The day's activities begin at 8 a.m. at the Bowers Stadium west parking lot with a 5K Fun Run/Walk.   The entry fee is $15 and participants will receive a T-shirt.   For more information about the race, log on to the Kats for the Cause Web site or call Angie Burns at 936.294.3466.

Members of Zeta Tau Alpha will be at the Fair on the Square in downtown Huntsville later that day, distributing educational materials and selling tickets for a drawing for two round-trip, open-destination tickets on Southwest Airlines, the official airline of Kats for the Cause.

Several groups from Sam Houston State University will be on hand during tailgating activities in Bearkat Alley beginning at 4 p.m. prior to the football game to distribute information about different types of cancer and provide free food and soft drinks.

The Huntsville Item, sponsor of the Oct. 6 football game, will give out pink towels to the first 250 Bearkat fans that go through the ticket gate to attend the game.

All Bearkat fans are encouraged to wear pink in order to "pink out" the stadium.  

The Bearkat football team will show its support at the game against Central Arkansas beginning at 6 p.m.   Four Huntsville breast cancer survivors will serve as honorary co-captains and will go on the field for the coin toss prior to kick-off.   The football players will wear the traditional breast cancer awareness pink ribbons on their helmets and the coaches will wear pink wristbands.

Orange Pride dancers will wear pink ribbons in their hair, and the Sam Houston cheerleaders will wear pink ribbons or pink wristbands.   Sammy Bearkat will have on a pink shirt.

For two weeks prior to the event, members of Zeta Tau Alpha will sell pink "Kats for the Cause" T-shirts for $5 each.   All proceeds will go to promote breast cancer research, awareness and education.   The T-shirts will be sold in the Lowman Student Center Mall area on Sept. 26-27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Oct. 1-4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.   Shirts may also be purchased by calling 936.294.3004 or 936.294.1837.

At the same time of the T-shirt sale, the SHSU Athletics Office will be distributing student tickets to the Oct. 6 football game -- also in the LSC Mall Area -- so that students can get their tickets early.   For more information about football tickets, call 936.294.1729.

Working with SHSU to promote breast cancer awareness and education on a football game day was a logical decision, said Cherie Countz, president of the Huntsville ZTA Alumnae Chapter and general adviser of the collegiate chapter at Sam Houston State.

"Zeta Tau Alpha collegians and alumnae have been working with the National Football League since 1999 to distribute pink ribbons to fans, stadium employees and team owners each fall," she said.  

Since that time, ZTA chapters have worked with more than a dozen teams in the NFL, reaching more than 500,000 football fans across the country.

The organization's national philanthropy is Breast Cancer Education and Awareness.   Among the programs Zeta Tau Alpha supports are Think-Pink!, Yoplait's Save Lids to Save Lives campaign, and The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Other SHSU student organizations that are involved with the inaugural Kats for the Cause event are Colleges Against Cancer, Eta Sigma Gamma Health Science Honorary, Respecting Ourselves and Others Through Education (R.O.O.T.E.D) and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Participating SHSU departments include Athletics, Health and Kinesiology, Undergraduate Admissions, Student Activities, Public Relations, Recreational Sports, the Dean of Students' Office and the SHSU Wellness Committee.

The Huntsville/Walker County Chamber of Commerce has also provided support.

Major sponsors for the Kats for the Cause event include Adventures in Advertising, Sam Houston Cancer Center, Mac Haik Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep, Southwest Airlines, and Missie Tyler and Mike and Anita Hobbs.

For more information about Kats for the Cause, log on to the Kats for the Cause Web site or call Rosanne Keathley at 936.294.1171.

—END—

SHSU Media Contact: Julia May
Sept. 18, 2007
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.