When the Colchester High School and South Burlington High School girls’ field hockey teams faced off for a recent game, they all donned pink for a very good cause. They honored their coaches — both of whom were battling breast cancer —by hosting and standing in solidarity with a Pink Out Cancer event to raise awareness and funds for the UVM Cancer Center Breast Cancer Patient Support Fund.

Speaking to the importance of local communities showing up for their own, Lindsay Longe, UVM Cancer Center’s Executive Director of Philanthropy said, “We honor patients and family members affected by this disease, and the doctors and researchers working to detect, treat and cure breast cancer. Today, the Colchester field hockey team chose this game to demonstrate their love and support for two great coaches as they travel on their own cancer journeys.”

Part of a growing national movement of organizations giving back, the goal of Pink Out Cancer games is to direct local fundraising efforts towards critical cancer care in their communities. At UVM Cancer Center, Pink Out events support a range of initiatives like access to integrative therapies to make patients more comfortable during treatment, and guidance from patient navigators to help families understand the complexities of their cancer care. Funds also help ease the financial burden of a cancer diagnosis.

For organizations who participate, the Pink Out Cancer fundraising effort adds meaning to their events; local teams at the youth, high school and college level as well as other groups, individual organizers and even businesses can honor their friends, family and neighbors while supporting the lifesaving care they need. For UVM Cancer Center, events like this bring its mission full circle by providing the opportunity to celebrate community and the value of world-class health care right here in Vermont.

Join efforts to relieve cancer’s burden on patients, contact Lindsay Longe, Lindsay.Longe@uvmhealth.org, 802-598-3422 (mobile).