LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (October 1, 2020) – The Washington Football Team announced today its annual Breast Cancer Awareness game, presented by Inova Schar Cancer Institute, against the Baltimore Ravens at 1:00 p.m. on October 4, 2020, and several Charitable Foundation activities that will take place on gameday and throughout the month. Cardboard cutouts of Inova Schar Cancer Institute survivors and clinical staff members will be in the FedExField stands on October 4th, in partnership with the NFL's "Crucial Catch" program and the American Cancer Society. During the game, they will be arranged – alongside "Crucial Catch"- and "THINK-PINK®"-personalized cutouts purchased by Washington fans – in a way that will communicate the important statistic that one in eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.
Proceeds from the Breast Cancer Awareness game cardboard cutouts are being donated to the Inova Schar Cancer Institute and to the Washington Football Charitable Foundation to be distributed to the Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer and to the Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity (ZTA) Foundation, the latter of which was instrumental in launching the NFL's THINK-PINK® and Crucial Catch initiatives.
The team's "GameDay Live" programming on www.washingtonfootball.com and through its social channels will feature interviews with eight American Cancer Society / Inova survivors who participated in past years' All-Star Survivor Games and Celebrations, and a conversation with wide receiver Steven Sims, Jr., who will talk to the team's Senior Vice President of Media and Content, Julie Donaldson, about the impact his grandmother's breast cancer diagnosis has had on him and his family.
Gameday elements are only the start of this month-long initiative for the Washington Football Charitable Foundation. An early participant in the Breast Cancer Awareness Month movement, Tanya Snyder, team co-owner and a breast cancer survivor herself, helped introduce the THINK-PINK® campaign to the NFL 22 years ago and has made it a top priority for the franchise ever since.
"We continue to be immensely proud of our breast cancer awareness and research programs, which feel especially powerful in the midst of a pandemic," said Tanya. "While we have a tough road ahead of us in eradicating this terrible disease, it is important that we celebrate those who have fought for their lives and for their families. The support of the National Football League, the Washington Football Team, Zeta Tau Alpha, the Inova Schar Cancer Institute, and each and every one of our fans who has taken part in these initiatives over the years has played a major part as we work towards accomplishing one of the most important human health goals in history."
Supported by the Washington Football Charitable Foundation, this year's Washington Football limited edition Burgundy, Gold & Pink T-shirt is now available for sale through the community section of the team's website with proceeds benefitting the Brem Foundation and the ZTA Foundation. Fans 21 and over are also invited to share breast cancer stories of their own or of someone close to them to enter to win the ultimate Women of Washington (WOW) "Watch-From-Home Experience Kits," presented by Fresh Vine Wine. On Thursday, October 15, from 5:30 – 7:00 P.M., WOW and Fresh Vine Wine will be holding a virtual paint-and-sip event with guest speakers including Julie Donaldson and Donna Hopkins, author of "Getting to the Other Side of Victory." From 10:00 A.M.-12:00 Noon on Saturday, October 24, Fuel Up to Play 60 and Women of Washington will host "Workout and Play Together WOW Families" – a free event celebrating the networks that support cancer survivor resiliency with donations to THINK-PINK® accepted. All Washington Football Charitable Foundation Breast Cancer Awareness donations can be sent through this link.
Fans can learn more about the franchise's breast cancer awareness efforts by visiting the THINK-PINK® section of the Washington Football Team's website and by following the team on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT INOVA: Inova is Northern Virginia's leading nonprofit healthcare provider, recognized in 2019 and 2020 by U.S. News & World Report, which named Inova Fairfax Hospital the #1 hospital in the Washington, DC region. All five Inova hospitals were awarded 'A' grades for the spring 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, recognizing Inova's achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer healthcare. Each of Inova's five hospitals holds a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), distinguishing Inova as the highest-rated large health system in the U.S., and the only system to have all hospitals receive five stars. Inova Fairfax Medical Campus was named to the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list, ranking in the top 10 nationwide among Major Teaching Hospitals. Our mission is to provide world-class healthcare – every time, every touch – to each person in every community we have the privilege to serve. Inova's 18,000 team members serve more than 2 million individuals annually through an integrated network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, outpatient services and destination institutes. Inova is home to Northern Virginia's only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Its hospitals have a total of 1,936 licensed beds. More information and statistics about Inova can be found at www.inova.org.
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON FOOTBALL CHARITABLE FOUNDATION: The Washington Football Charitable Foundation is ever-present in the community, constantly working to achieve its mission to make a positive and measurable impact in the lives of children that need it most. Since team owners Dan and Tanya Snyder created the Washington Football Charitable Foundation in 2000, it has given back more than $29M to the community and currently provides support and services to more than 178,000 individuals (mostly children) annually, focusing on supporting education, children's health and wellness and preparing youth for their future. Learn more at https://www.washingtonfootball.com/community/.
ABOUT THE WOMEN OF WASHINGTON: Since its inception in 2011, the Women of Washington Football Team (WOW) has evolved into the largest women's program in the NFL with more than 130,000 members. Along with year-round programming and events like behind-the-scenes opportunities with the team, WOW also offers a unique avenue for leadership development and fitness classes, embodying their mission to provide a complete platform to empower female fans – mind, body and soul.
