NFL Breast Cancer Awareness Sunday

The NFL is proud to support the fight against breast cancer

Throughout October, NFL games will feature players, coaches and referees wearing pink game apparel to raise awareness for the campaign, as well as on-field pink ribbon stencils and special K-balls and pink coins. All apparel worn at games by players and coaches and special K-balls and pink coins will auctioned off at NFL Auction (www.NFLAuction.NFL.com), with proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society and team charities. This is an issue that has directly touched the lives of so many in the NFL family, and we are committed to helping make a difference in breast-cancer prevention.

Steelers take the NFL's campaign for breast cancer awareness

Shiny, florescent-pink-trimmed football shoes with silver cleats sit in the next locker for his buddy Hines Ward to wear tonight. Similarly toned shoes, most of them completely pink with white or black trim, also will be worn by Steelers teammates Ben Roethlisberger, Santonio Holmes, Ryan Clark, Lawrence Timmons, Willie Gay and a host of other players around the National Football League. Many Steelers also will wear pink gloves and wristbands for their 8:20 p.m. game against San Diego in Heinz Field. Ribbon pins and white-and-black Steelers ballcaps with pink-lined bills will be donned by coaches along the home sideline.

And from Steelers.com...

Hope and prayers go out to all those affected by not only breast cancer but all forms of this dreaded disease.

You have to wonder just how much time and money it will take to find a cure. Obviously, it is just a matter of time and money.

Increasingly, however, comes the need to be more and more creative in how you get your cause to the front of the the public's conscience to get your share of the dwindling donation dollar.

Case in point: Along with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, arguably the most well-known charitable cause is the MDA and its major fundraising effort- the Jerry Lewis Telethon.

Over the years, the Labor Day telethon alone has raised nearly $1.6 Billion but, admit it, when you think of Muscular Dystrophy you think of Jerry Lewis, not necessarily his "kids"

Well known. Hard working. Some would say cultural icon. He's been doing the telethon thing for decades and his contribution cannot be understated. However, the man is in his eighties. What to do when the man cannot carry on the good fight? How do you keep the cause in the public's mind? Advertising. I believe this is where it may be time to think outside the box. Take, for instance, this ad from Rethink Breast Cancer , a Canadian cancer awareness group, to support it's fundraising event- Boobyball.

Or perhaps this ad from the folks at Yoplait:

******************************************************

The point, sophomoric examples aside, is this: in these days when health and healthcare is on the tip of everyone's mind, it's important to remember your favorite cause year-round, not just on designated "awareness months" or traditional holiday times. And, to that end, some charities need to be more creative in getting the message across to achieve funding in order to defeat these diseases.

I think.