Comerica Park turns pink to raise breast
cancer awareness, celebrate survivors and remember the legacy of
breast cancer warriors
DETROIT, May 13, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, in
partnership with the Detroit Tigers and McLaren Health Care, the
official health care system of the Tigers, continues the tradition
of "Pink Out the Park" during the Saturday,
June 8 game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Comerica Park.
This special event has raised awareness for breast health for the
past 12 years, celebrating survivors and honoring the legacies of
those who have fought courageously. Breast cancer survivors will
take part in a special pre-game ceremony on the field, with the
first pitch scheduled for 4:10
p.m.
"Pink Out the Park is an electric experience for breast cancer
survivors, their friends and families and baseball fans in
general," said Michael Simon, M.D.,
MPH, medical oncologist and co-leader of the Breast Cancer
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) at Karmanos. "The women and men that
we celebrate at this game truly deserve the honor and we are so
grateful that they trust Karmanos to care for them in their
journey. It's also a great time for Karmanos to join families who
are celebrating their legacy warriors who have touched their lives
and ours as health care specialists. We salute the Tigers for
continuing this mission with us to stress the importance of breast
cancer screening to catch the disease early when it's most
treatable."
Comerica Park gates will open at 2:30
p.m. Right when fans walk in, they'll see the concourse
decorated in a wave of pink and hear the music of a live band
playing classic hits in the Big Cat Court. Karmanos will have
information about breast cancer screenings, opportunities to donate
to breast cancer research and "I wear pink for" recognition cards
for fans to fill in a name to honor a breast cancer survivor or
those they may have lost to the disease.
The first 15,000 fans through the gates will receive a "Pink Out
the Park" Tigers jersey with "Strike Out Breast Cancer" in cursive
letters on the collar. The jersey is available in sizes for the
whole family. Fans who purchase the special "Pink Out the Park"
ticket package will receive Tigers game tickets on June 8, a "Pink Out the Park" Getaway Bag
(available for pickup at the Group Sales Kiosk at Section 332 on
game day) and a $5 donation to
Karmanos. Visit tigers.com/pink to purchase tickets.
"Cancer doesn't discriminate, but neither does our resolve,"
said Tiffany Harrington, director of
partnership activation for the Tigers. "As we join forces with
McLaren Health Care and Karmanos, we're not just playing a game,
we're making strides in the fight against breast cancer. Together,
we honor survivors, support fighters and champion research. Let's
pink out the park and paint a future without breast cancer."
On the concourse, fans can engage in several activities. There
will be a large "I wear pink for" recognition card displayed on the
Comerica Landing where fans can insert a name. This festive setting
will also feature a DJ and a neon "Pink Out the Park" sign as a
backdrop for photos. On the main concourse near Section 116, fans
may take photos at the Karmanos photo frame.
During pre-game on-field ceremonies, fans will witness
recognition of the Karmanos Starting 9, highlighting members of the
Karmanos Breast Cancer MDT and others involved in treatment of
breast cancer in the cancer center's statewide network.
Features also include the breast cancer survivor parade on the
field, a ceremonial first pitch by a breast cancer survivor,
delivery of the game ball, "Ring That Bell" celebrating survivors
who have finished their cancer treatment, in-game shoutouts of
survivors and in-game awareness promotions and entertainment.
Breast cancer survivors from throughout Michigan attending "Pink Out the Park" may
join the breast cancer survivor parade by signing up here. Parade
logistical information will be communicated via email closer to
June 8.
During the fourth inning, Tigers fans can raise their "Pink Out
the Park" cheer cards honoring breast cancer survivors and legacy
warriors with a tribute and moment of reflection. Tigers and
Brewers players will also participate in the impactful annual
recognition.
Additional opportunities to donate to breast cancer research
will be available during "Pink Out the Park." Fans can use a QR
code displayed on the Tigers videoboard and on the Karmanos tables
on the main concourse to donate online. A portion of 50/50 raffle
sales will also be donated to Karmanos. Fans may also donate to
breast cancer research by visiting
karmanos.org/pinkoutdonation.
About Breast Cancer
Aside from skin cancer, breast
cancer is the most common cancer for American women, according to
the American Cancer Society (ACS). In the
United States, women have a one-in-eight chance of
developing the disease. In 2024, ACS estimates there will be
310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer. That number has
increased from the 2023 estimate, which was 297,790.
At Karmanos, the Breast Cancer MDT includes surgical
oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists,
radiologists, pathologists, plastic surgeons, pharmacists,
specialized nurse practitioners, dietitians, social workers,
genetic counselors and patient navigators. The team focuses
entirely on treating breast cancer and shares its collective
expertise to create a customized treatment plan for each
patient.
In the fight against cancer, early detection is an important
weapon since cancer is most treatable in its early stages. Many
forms of cancer do not display symptoms at onset, so screening
tests help monitor for warning signs. Karmanos recommends an annual
screening mammogram for all women of average risk beginning at age
40. Women with one or more risk factors should talk with their
family doctor or a Karmanos expert about when to start screening
for breast cancer.
Part of McLaren Health Care, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer
Institute offers many screening resources for women at
the Women's Wellness Clinic in Detroit, the Karmanos Cancer Institute at the
Lawrence and Idell Weisberg Cancer
Center in Farmington Hills and McLaren locations near 12
additional sites across the Karmanos Cancer Network. Types of
screening available throughout the health system include 3D
mammography, breast ultrasound and breast MRI. Karmanos' high-risk
breast assessment given to women in Detroit and Farmington Hills allows specialists to
understand a patient's risk for developing additional cancers, such
as lung, ovarian and colon.
Patient referrals are not needed to receive a screening
mammography at Karmanos or McLaren locations. To request a
mammogram appointment or learn more, visit
karmanos.org/cancerscreening or call 1-800-KARMANOS.
About the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer
Institute
Karmanos Cancer Institute is a leader in
transformative cancer care, research and education through courage,
commitment and compassion. The Karmanos vision is a world free of
cancer. As part of McLaren Health Care, Karmanos is the largest
provider of cancer care and research in Michigan. For more than 75 years, the
administrative and research headquarters, along with the premier
specialty cancer hospital, have been located in downtown
Detroit. With 17 network sites,
Karmanos delivers world-renowned care and access to clinical trials
throughout Michigan and northern
Ohio. The National Cancer
Institute recognizes Karmanos as one of the best cancer centers in
the nation with a comprehensive cancer center designation. Its
academic partnership with the Wayne State
University School of Medicine provides the framework for
cancer research and education – defining new standards of care and
improving survivorship. For more information, call 1-800-KARMANOS
(800-527-6266) or visit karmanos.org. Follow Karmanos
on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health
Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc,
Michigan, is a $6.6 billion,
fully integrated health care delivery system committed to quality,
evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system
includes 13 hospitals in Michigan,
ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 640-member employed
primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and
Medicaid HMOs covering more than 732,838 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health, infusion and hospice
providers, pharmacy services, a clinical laboratory network and a
wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren
operates Michigan's largest network of
cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Karmanos Cancer
Institute, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive
cancer centers. McLaren has 28,000 full-, part-time and contracted
employees and more than 113,000 network providers throughout
Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Learn more at
mclaren.org.
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SOURCE Karmanos Cancer Institute