Braves and American Cancer Society Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Day presented by Kroger

By Braves Give

This month, we teamed up with American Cancer Society’s Making Strides against Breast Cancer to celebrate breast cancer survivors during the 10th annual Braves Breast Cancer Awareness Day presented by Kroger.

To kick off October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we hosted more than 250 breast cancer survivors for a pregame reception, on-field presentation and Go Pink rally in the fan plaza. We also surprised 10,000 Braves fans with a unique pink foam tomahawk in their seats.

Our special guests started arriving Saturday afternoon to check-in and receive their tickets, pink Breast Cancer Awareness Day shirt, and survivor sash. To generate additional awareness, various breast cancer organizations including American Cancer Society’s Making Strides against Breast Cancer, Loving Arms Cancer Outreach, Georgia CORE were in Monument Grove distributing information to Braves fans about screenings, early detection, and support groups. More than 200 members of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority from GSU and KSU gave out Pink Ribbons to the fans as they entered the ballpark.

Once checked-in, all survivors along with their family and friends entered the gates and made their way to the survivor celebration reception where they had the chance to fellowship with one another.

At the reception, survivors heard encouraging words from guest speaker Beth “Sprinkles” Goodman. Beth is a motivational speaker and breast cancer sur“THRIVE”vor. CEO of the American Cancer Society, Gary Reedy, spoke on behalf of their efforts to raise money for breast cancer research at their upcoming Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on October 29 at Piedmont Park at 9:00am.

During the reception, we distributed five Diamond of Hope awards to recognize survivors who have engaged in the fight against breast cancer or assisted other survivors through their difficult struggle. These 5 incredible survivors were nominated by friends and family and selected by the Braves Wives. The winners were: Rhonda Printup of Conley, GA, Johnetta Goolsby of Conyers, GA, Teresa Garmon of Stockbridge, GA, Amber Gaddis of Maysville, GA, and our guest speaker, Beth “Sprinkles” Goodman, of Atlanta, GA. Braves players Tyrell Jenkins and Nick Markakis joined us in congratulating the honorees at the reception by gifting them with a diamond-shaped award from the Braves and a special gift from Kendra Scott jewelry.

Immediately following the reception, Gary Reedy and two members of the Real Men Wear Pink campaign led the Chop Rally in the fan plaza. American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink program is a distinguished group of community leaders that raise awareness and funds for this year’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event. The men in the Atlanta chapter are racing against each other to raise the money throughout October.

After the reception, it was time for the most exciting part of the day, the survivor’s “Walk in the Park” and on-field balloon release! Decked out in their “Pink Out Turner Field” t-shirts and with pink balloons in-hand, the survivors painted the field pink. The survivors lined the base paths while the members from GA State and Kennesaw State’s ZTA sorority created a human ribbon around the pitcher’s mound, as a symbol of hope. On the count of three, everyone released the pink balloons into the air as fans cheered, pink tomahawks in-hand.

It was perfect weather to celebrate these beautiful women. We are so grateful and thank you to all who made this possible, Kroger, American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Kendra Scott, the Braves players and wives, our volunteers from ZTA and the Braves 400 Club, who sacrificed their Saturday night for a wonderful cause!