Breast Cancer Hits Home for Monarchs | About Monarchs Breast Health Awareness Night | Monarchs Breast Health Hero | Celebrating Survivors | Race for the Cure | More Information About Breast Health Awareness

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BHA Fact of the Day

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Edna Campbell - Sacramento Monarchs Guard and Breast Cancer Survivor

In February of 2002, Maloof Sports & Entertainment received a piece of news that would forever change the organization. Edna Campbell, a starting guard and an inspiration to girls and women across the country, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Shortly after the diagnosis, Campbell had a lump removed on an outpatient basis and began chemotherapy and radiation soon thereafter.

Due to her treatments, Campbell, the first active WNBA player to be diagnosed with breast cancer, was placed on the injured reserve list for the 2002 season. Determined to meet this disease head on, Campbell supported her team from the bench, attending games, participating in Monarchs appearances and educating others on a disease that affects more than 180,000 women each year.

Campbell was able to achieve her ultimate goal by suiting up with her teammates as she was activated for the final game of the Monarchs 2002 season. Campbell took the floor as the crowd of thousands stood on their feet to witness her wonderful fete. Fans cheered as she stole the ball from the top of the key and continued to score a lay-up for her first two points of the 2002 season. Fans were later moved by her words of gratitude following the game.

Campbell�s determination, along with the support she received from her friends, family, fans and teammates helped her in her fight against breast cancer with the successful completion of her treatments in September of 2002. Along her path to recovery, Campbell received thousands of well wishes from fans and supporters across the world. She has also used her experience to educate others through various speaking engagements and breast health appearances. She appeared on national television and radio to share her story, she has heard hundreds of stories from others who have been through similar situations and most importantly, she has grown from the experience and will continue to speak out about breast health awareness and the importance of mammograms and self breast exams.

This season, Campbell returns to the Monarchs active roster in prime condition and the determination to succeed. In support of her efforts and the millions affected by breast cancer, the Sacramento Monarchs and Maloof Sports & Entertainment continue their commitment to Breast Health Awareness. Below is a list of programs and opportunities for survivors and fans in the Sacramento community.

Click here to watch an exclusive interview with Edna Campbell.

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Breast Health Awareness Night and Survivor Reception

For the seventh consecutive year, the Monarchs have continued their commitment to Breast Health Awareness as a community initiative and have designated one game as Breast Health Awareness Night. Sutter Home Winery has teamed up with the Monarchs to provide a pregame reception for survivors as well as a donation to a local breast health organization in the amount of 50-cents for every person in attendance at the game.

The Sacramento Monarchs will host their Breast Health Awareness Night supported by Sutter Home Winery on Saturday, August 9, 2003 when they take on the Minnesota Lynx at ARCO Arena. Local organizations will staff information tables on the concourse to distribute important breast health information to all fans in attendance that evening. The game will also be marked by special breast health awareness t-shirts worn by the team players and pink t-shirts will be donned by breast cancer survivors in attendance. On display will be paper pink/white basketballs with messages of support or remembrance for breast cancer survivors. Fans will be able to write their messages that night or during designated games preceding August 9.

Sutter Home Winery will be hosting a special pregame reception for breast cancer survivors prior to the August 9 Breast Health Awareness Game. Complimentary hors d�oeuvres, Breast Health Awareness t-shirt and special gifts will be presented to survivors at the reception. Survivors will be invited down on the Monarchs court for a special celebration recognizing all breast cancer survivors that will take place during halftime of the evening�s game.

To buy tickets and support this initiative, visit Ticketmaster.com or call (916) 419-WNBA. If you are a breast cancer survivor and wish to attend the pregame reception, please call (916) 928-3620 or email communityrelations@arcoarena.com.

Click here to see photos from last year�s game reception.

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Sacramento Monarchs Breast Health Hero

The Sacramento Monarchs and Sutter Home Winery want to let you say "thanks" to those special people who have been an inspiration to you, or someone you know that has suffered from breast cancer. The �Breast Health Hero� program aims to recognize people who have gone out of their way to provide above-and-beyond support and assistance to others who have, or are currently dealing with health issues related to breast cancer. To nominate someone you feel is deserving of the honor, print your name, age, street address, city, state, zip code, daytime telephone number, along with the exact, same above information for the person you are nominating (nominee must be 21 years or older), your relationship to that person and the reason why you think they should be considered the Monarchs� Breast Health Hero in 250 words or less, and mail it to:

Monarchs Breast Health Hero
c/o Sacramento Monarchs
One Sports Parkway
ARCO Arena
Sacramento, California 95834

A total of four (4) Breast Health Heroes will be selected throughout the summer to receive a two-night stay at a Napa Valley Bed and Breakfast complients of the Sacramento Monarchs.

For official contest rules, click here.

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Radiological Associates �Celebrating Survivors�

The Sacramento Monarchs and Radiological Associates of Sacramento will be �Celebrating Survivors� all season long! Each game, a breast cancer survivor and their guest will receive a VIP tour of ARCO Arena and enjoy the game from specially marked �pink� seats near the Monarchs bench. Each survivor is nominated by local breast health organizations and are the special guests of the Sacramento Monarchs and Radiological Associates. In addition, the survivor�s inspirational story will be posted right here on SacramentoMonarchs.com (stories updated weekly). To view these stories, click here.

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Monarchs Participate in Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure

For the second consecutive year, the Sacramento Monarchs supported and participated in the Sacramento Affiliate�s Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation �Race for the Cure.� Considered the largest 5K walk/run in Northern California, more than 20,000 people assembled bright and early at 8 a.m. on May 10 to make this a walk for fun, remembrance and celebration.

Approximately 100 people from Maloof Sports & Entertainment including event team members, staff and their families, Kings Women's Organization, Management Team and Kings Basketball Operations joined the thousands of breast health supporters by wearing special t-shirts in support of Edna Campbell and in memory of Sarah Jackson, Sacramento Kings guard Bobby Jackson�s mother. In support of breast health awareness, Joe and Gavin Maloof paid all entry fees for part-time and full-time employees of Maloof Sports & Entertainment.

Best of all was the support and attendance of the entire Sacramento Monarchs team led by Edna Campbell. As the players and coaches cheered on the walkers and runners, Campbell tipped-off the race as the honorary co-starter with Joyce Raley-Teel. The Monarchs presence at the event continued into the Expo Building for the "Kids' Zone." Entertainment and activities for the entire family included a bookmark station, face painter, basketball hoop, games and giveaways. Posters featuring Bobby Jackson and Edna Campbell were distributed and a table to write messages of support or remembrance for breast cancer survivors on paper pink/white basketballs allowed hundreds to share their thoughts. These basketballs will be on display at the Monarchs Breast Health Awareness Night on August 9. During the �Survivor Celebration,� Kings Women's Organization co-chair Louise Turner sang the National Anthem on perfect key for the start of the ceremony.

For more information on the race, log on to the Komen Foundation's website.

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Breast Health Awareness Information
Below you will find more information on breast health awareness and sites you can visit for further reference.

Information on the Three Point Play:

Yearly mammograms over the age of 40

Regular self-exams over the age of 20

Yearly clinical exams with a doctor or health care professional

Breast Cancer Facts:

One out of eight women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. All women are at risk and that risk does increase with age.

Breast cancer is the most common form of non-skin cancer in women. More than 203,000 cases will be diagnosed in the next year.

Breast cancer cannot be prevented, but if detected early, can be effectively treated. Early screenings and detection is the key against fighting this disease.

Services are available for women who do not have health insurance or cannot afford a mammogram. Call your local chapter of the American Cancer Society, YWCA Encore Plus or Department of Health and Human Services for more info on each organization�s programs and resources that may be able to assist you.

Breast cancer does not discriminate based on ethnic background, family history or income. 70% of women who develop breast cancer have no identifiable risk factors.

For more info regarding breast health locally in Sacramento or nationally, please log on to the following links:

Sacramento Komen Foundation

WNBA.com

Nabco

Cancer.org

Breast Cancer Info

Click here for the Sacramento Monarchs 2002 Breast Health Awareness Archive.