LB Rob Ninkovich records a PSA about lung cancer prevention which aires during the Patriots-Vikings game on Sunday Oct. 31.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (October 29, 2010) - As part of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation's season-long "Kick Cancer" initiative, and in partnership with Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Patriots will promote lung cancer awareness at the October 31 game at Gillette Stadium versus the Minnesota Vikings.
"Through the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, we have teamed up with our local hospitals to help raise awareness about the importance of cancer screening and prevention," said Patriots Chairman & CEO Robert Kraft. "While one of our primary goals is to draw attention to women's cancers that are difficult to detect and screen, our hope throughout the season is to raise awareness for all cancers and to stress the importance of regular screenings to all of our fans. For Sunday's game, we are focusing on a cancer that is almost entirely preventable, yet is a disease that kills more Americans than breast, colon and prostate cancer combined. We are proud to partner with Brigham and Women's Hospital this weekend to promote the lung cancer prevention."
New England Patriots Charitable Foundation "Kick Cancer" partner Brigham and Women's Hospital will be at Gillette Stadium Sunday distributing 40,000 fun flags promoting smoke-free living and featuring information about lung cancer. Brigham and Women's Hospital will also host locations throughout the stadium where Patriots fans can receive literature about lung cancer and stopping smoking.
During the game, Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovichwill appear in a public service announcement on the stadium's video screens encouraging Patriots fans to quit smoking. He joins fellow linebacker Gary Guyton, kicker Stephen Gostkowski and punter Zoltan Mesko as Patriots players who have filmed public service announcements asking Patriots fans to help "Kick Cancer."
Ninkovich was glad to be Sunday's "Kick Cancer" representative. "My grandmother had lung cancer and she never even smoked," he said. "She got it from second hand smoke and being around it her whole life. She got through it and she beat it, but it's something that is really hard to go through and it's hard to beat. I would say if you have a history of any type of cancer in your family, you should go get checked out."
The Patriots' "Kick Cancer" initiative will continue throughout the season as the Patriots aim to raise awareness about cancer through messages to fans and the distribution of educational material at home games in partnership with Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital - the founding hospitals of Partners HealthCare - and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
For more information about the "Kick Cancer" initiative, including resources and information about cancer prevention and screening, visit www.patriots.com/community.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION "KICK CANCER" GAME SCHEDULE:October 31 ........................... Minnesota Vikings......................... Lung Cancer and Stop Smoking Awareness
November 21 ....................... Indianapolis Colts ........................ Childhood Cancer Awareness
December 6 ......................... New York Jets.............................. Colon Cancer Awareness
December 19 ....................... Green Bay Packers....................... Prostate Cancer Awareness
January 2 ............................. Miami Dolphins............................. Kick Cancer Celebration with Survivors and Caregivers
