Saint Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri State University are proud to announce that the 2010 Dig for Life campaign raised $20,100 for the fight against breast cancer – making it the most successful year to date. Redhawks women’s volleyball athletes presented a check to Steven C. Bjelich, FACHE-D, President and Chief Executive Officer at Saint Francis, during pregame activities at the Southeast Missouri State University men’s basketball game against Tennessee Tech University January 29.
Since 2000, the Dig for Life campaign has given more than 1,000 free mammograms to women who could not otherwise afford them. Saint Francis and the Southeast Missouri State University volleyball team join forces every October to raise money for the fight against breast cancer through this campaign. University athletes secure pledges during October home matches. Money collected is allocated to Saint Francis for carrying out Dig for Life’s goal of raising breast cancer awareness, providing early detection opportunities and improving prevention efforts. Each $100 raised provides a mammogram to one local woman at no cost to her.
“Dig for Life’s success is made possible by the tireless efforts and intensity of Southeast’s volleyball athletes, Coach Heard and Dig for Life founder Cindy Gannon,” says Bjelich. “Dig for Life continues to grow as the community’s support and contributions increase, making its impact on women in our region even stronger.” In 2010, Dig for Life provided mammograms to more than 200 area women who could not receive the screening due to lack of adequate health insurance, high deductibles, unemployment or inability to pay.
“It is overwhelming to see the positive impact of this program on our community,” says Gannon, Southeast’s associate director of athletics and Dig for Life’s founder. “I founded Dig for Life when my mother lost her battle with breast cancer, in the hope I could do something to prevent other women from having to cope with this awful disease. It is truly wonderful to see this program continue to grow year after year.”
2010-2011 Southeast volleyball athletes include: Andrea Baylin, Kelly Benacka, Emily Coon, Paige Dossey, Emily Hughes, Berkley Idel, Brittney Kalinoski, Claire Keaton, Samantha Lowman, Karlee Lursen, Holly Reynolds, Kacie Ritter, Julie Shives, Meagan Webb and Colleen Yarber.
“I am pleased to see Southeast’s volleyball athletes helping to fight breast cancer through Dig for Life,” says Heard. “These young ladies are inspirations to the many women in Southeast Missouri who are battling breast cancer.”
The university’s Athletics department continues to embrace the Dig for Life campaign and other sports will be joining the volleyball team’s efforts during their respective seasons, including gymnastics, softball and baseball.
For more information on how to contribute to Dig for Life, call 573-331-5790 or visit www.digforlife.com. For information on mammography screening opportunities through Saint Francis, call Saint Francis’ Womancare at 573-331-5209.
Southeast Missouri State University volleyball coach Renata Heard and the Redhawks volleyball team present Steven C. Bjelich, FACHE-D, President and Chief Executive Officer at Saint Francis Medical Center, with a $20,100 check from the Dig for Life campaign to be used for breast cancer detection and awareness. 2010 was the most successful campaign to date. From left: Brittney Kalinoski; Kelly Benaka; Paige Dossey; Claire Keaton; Rowdy the Redhawk; John Schafer, Southeast director of Athletics; Karlee Lursen; Bjelich; Samantha Lowman; Meagan Webb; Holly Renolds; Emily Coon; Berkley Idel; Kacie Ritter; Colleen Yarber; Julie Shives; Andrea Baylin; Savana Parra, Southeast volleyball assistant coach; and Nikki Buchholz, Southeast volleyball assistant coach.