The MATC Athletic Department highlighted the importance of breast cancer awareness this month. The Stormers basketball teams hosted a Play4Kay event on February 18, to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.

Play4Kay

Play4Kay is a national movement in sports that unites coaches, players, fans, and officials to honor those who have survived or are currently fighting breast cancer. Founded on December 3, 2007, the Kay Yow Cancer Foundation honors North Carolina State University Head Coach Sandra Kay Yow. The foundation has awarded $8.78 million to cancer research and to serve the under-resourced. Contributions include $2.45 million for ovarian cancer research, $1.1 million for cancer in aging women, and $1.65 million for breast cancer. The foundation partners with Nike, WBCA, WBCA, the V Foundation, ESPN, NCAA, and NJCAA.

Coach Kay Yow

Kay Yow was the head coach for the North Carolina State University Women’s Basketball team and a former President and founding member of the Women’s Basketball Coach Association (WBCA). Her voice was powerful within women’s basketball; over her 38-year career as head coach, she achieved 700 career victories and led her team to 20 out of 27 NCAA tournaments. In the 2006-2007 season, during her 32nd year as head coach, she missed a total of 16 games due to her battle with breast cancer. In January 2007, she returned and led her team to win 10 games. After a decade-long fight with cancer, she passed away at the age of 66 in January 2009.

MATC has raised $175 so far toward its goal of $500. You can donate at this link. Together, let’s achieve a slam dunk and find a cure to beat cancer.