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SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Silver Stars will wear special pink uniforms Friday Sept., 5, when they take on the Los Angeles Sparks in an effort to promote breast health awareness. The uniforms will be auctioned off live post-game with proceeds benefiting local breast health charities.
Continuing an effort that has raised more than $2 million for breast health awareness, the Women’s National Basketball Association also will host several activities from Sunday, Sept. 7 to Saturday, Sept. 13, to generate awareness about breast cancer and raise funds to help fight the disease.
Two nationally televised WNBA games will include special programming on the league’s breast health initiative and awareness efforts. Those games include San Antonio vs. Connecticut on ABC at 1 p.m. ET. on Sept. 7, and Phoenix vs. Detroit on ESPN 2 at 7 p.m. ET. on Sept. 9. Each WNBA team donated pink and white autographed basketballs and both home teams participating in the televised games will wear white uniforms with pink trim, which will also be auctioned off for charity. In addition, coaches will wear pink ties or scarves and the referees will use pink whistles during these games. The official WNBA Breast Health Awareness logo will be displayed on the court
As part of the weeklong events, there is currently an online auction on www.SAsilverstars.com featuring items such as the pink shoes Becky Hammon wore during the 2008 NBA All-Star Shooting Stars competition. Meanwhile, t.he WNBA Breast Health Auction will launch on WNBA.com, with proceeds benefiting the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund in partnership with The V Foundation. Yow, who will be in attendance at Friday’s game in San Antonio, is North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, who is currently battling breast cancer for the third time. She was also the recipient of the 2008 WNBA Inspiring Coach Award.
The Auction will feature, for the first time, game worn apparel featuring some of the league's top stars, autographed WNBA memorabilia, and specially designed autographed pink and white WNBA Breast Health Awareness basketballs.
About the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund
The Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, in partnership with The V Foundation for Cancer Research, is a 501 c(3) charitable organization committed to being a part of finding an answer in the fight against women’s cancers through raising money for scientific research, assisting the underserved and unifying people for a common cause.
Kay Yow, North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, is a past president and founding member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), and a galvanizing voice for the Association. Yow was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, and is currently battling the disease for the third time. In her 37 years as a head coach at the college level, Yow is one of only six Division I head women's basketball mentors to achieve 700 career victories. Yow was also the head coach of the 1988 US Olympic Team that won the gold medal in Seoul.
About the WNBA
Comprised of 14 teams and in the midst of its 12th season, the WNBA is the most successful women’s professional team sports league in the world. The season tipped off May 17 with ESPN2 again providing appointment viewing in the form of its “WNBA Tuesdays” telecasts. During the 2008 season, combined coverage on ABC and ESPN2 will include 21 national telecasts, while NBA TV, the league’s 24-hour television network, will offer 70 regular-season contests.
Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, increase breast and women’s health awareness, support youth and family development, and focus on education. For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.