For Immediate Release
February 1, 2008
Wellesley Sports Information
Wellesley Basketball Encourages Fans to “Think Pink” on February 9th
WELLESLEY, MA - The Wellesley College basketball team will be taking part in the Women’s Basketball Coaches 
Association’s (WBCA) “Think Pink” initiative on Saturday, February 9th.
The Wellesley Blue will host Mount Holyoke College in a 7:00 pm game that will also serves as a fundraiser for breast cancer research. Teams will be wearing pink shoelaces during the game and the Wellesley team will warm up in pink Wellesley Athletics t-shirts donated by Tom Bernardo.
The primary focus of the WBCA’s “Think Pink” is to raise awareness of breast cancer around the nation. All fans that attend the February 9th contest are asked to wear pink in support of the initiative. A $2 donation is also suggested.
"This breast cancer awareness initiative is of special significance to me as my mom died of breast cancer at the age of 40. While the phrases "living with cancer" and "breast cancer survivor" were not used 30 years ago, there remain too many women "dying from breast cancer," said Wellesley head coach Kathy Hagerstrom.
“From 1 in 10 in the 70's, to 1 in 8 in the 90's, to today's 1 in 7 breast cancer rates, too many families across all socioeconomic levels are losing mothers, daughters, and sisters too young. Until a cure is found, awareness, education, and early action are critical success factors," adds Hagerstrom.
Funds raised will benefit the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. Yow is the head women’s basketball coach at North Carolina State University. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 and is currently battling the disease for the third time.
“Think Pink” began as a WBCA initiative last season, and at last count, over 800 schools are participating in this year’s event.