GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The Packers may have tied the Vikings on Sunday, but they are hoping to lead the way to victory in the continued fight against a devastating disease.
Tuesday was the kickoff of the Packers vs. Cancer campaign.
The initiative is aimed at raising funds for research and cancer care.
The continued effort brings together a partnership of the Green Bay Packers, Bellin Health, and the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation.
Jen Macdonald from Bellin Health highlighted some scary numbers while speaking at Lambeau Field.
“More than 77 thousand Wisconsin women currently are in various stages of breast cancer,” she says. “Those are staggering numbers.”
Thankfully, this and other initiatives have the previous number of fifty percent survival rate after cancer screening trending in the right direction.
“Today that survival rate is pushing eighty percent,” she explains. “That progress is really due to screening initiatives and initiatives like this.”
One of the countless numbers of individuals affected by cancer is Packers linebacker, Blake Martinez. He spoke about how he lost his best friend in grade school to bone marrow cancer.
“It was just so mindboggling to me that someone with so much potential could get something taken away by something so gross,” he says.
Martinez believes the fight against cancer starts with one small action and anyone can truly make a difference.
“It takes just one person,” he explains. “One person to make an influence, make a change.”
The Packers Pro Shop will be selling Vince Lombardi cancer awareness hats, which directs $5 of every sale to the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation.
Green Bay players will also be attending the Pulaski High School and Preble High School game on October 5 to visit with fans. Rally towels and t-shirts will be available for purchase at that game with proceeds benefiting the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation.
