FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (September 24, 2010) - Nearly 70,000 fans pack the stands at Gillette Stadium for every Patriots home game and, statistically, far too many of them will develop cancer in their lifetimes. With support from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital - the founding hospitals of Partners HealthCare - and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation has launched Kick Cancer, a season-long initiative to increase cancer awareness among Patriots fans.
"Knowing risk factors, having good information and requesting regularly scheduled screenings is imperative," said Patriots Chairman & CEO Robert Kraft. "For many cancers, particularly women's cancers, the symptoms can be subtle. It's incumbent on individuals to get screened and ask your doctor for tests. With proper screening and early detection, families can avoid a lot of heartache."
Beginning with the Sunday, September 26 game at Gillette Stadium and at each subsequent home game, the Patriots will raise awareness about common cancers through messages to fans and the distribution of educational material.
[
]()To help kick off the initiative, Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski and punter Zoltan Mesko have filmed public service announcements promoting cancer screening.
"We all know someone who has been affected by cancer," said Gostkowski. "Win or lose, we want Patriots fans to leave games this year knowing more about risk factors and their options for screening."
"It's a good feeling to know that we can play a part in someone taking a small step, such as deciding to get screened, that could ultimately save their life," added Mesko.
New England's best medical institutions have also partnered with the Patriots to provide fans with valuable information about screening and prevention both at Gillette Stadium and through the Patriots' web site. On Sunday, Kraft will be joined for a pregame announcement of the initiative by Elizabeth G. Nabel, MD, President, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Edward J. Benz, Jr., MD, President and CEO, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Peter L. Slavin, MD, President, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Gary L. Gottlieb, MD, MBA, President and CEO, Partners HealthCare.
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 Wrap Up with Survivors and Caregivers
ABOUT THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONThe New England Patriots Charitable Foundation is the nonprofit organization established by the Kraft family in 1994 to support charitable and philanthropic agencies throughout New England. This support comes in the form of direct grants and the donation of signed memorabilia to charitable causes, as well as from Patriots players who offer their support by appearing at charity functions throughout the year. In 2010, the Foundation will work to raise cancer awareness through the "Kick Cancer" initiative. For more information about the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, please visit www.patriots.com/community.
ABOUT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 793-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare, an integrated health care delivery network. BWH is the home of the Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, the most advanced center of its kind. BWH is committed to excellence in patient care with expertise in virtually every specialty of medicine and surgery. The BWH medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in quality improvement and patient safety initiatives and its dedication to educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, involving more than 900 physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by more than $485 M in funding. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative. For more information about BWH, please visit http://www.brighamandwomens.org.
ABOUT DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (www.dana-farber.org) is a principal teaching affiliate of the Harvard Medical School and is among the leading cancer research and care centers in the United States. It is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC), designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute. It provides adult cancer care with Brigham and Women's Hospital as Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center and it provides pediatric care with Children's Hospital Boston as Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center. Dana-Farber is the top ranked cancer center in New England, according to U.S. News & World Report, nd one of the largest recipients among independent hospitals of National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health grant funding.
ABOUT THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL CANCER CENTERAn integral part of one of the world's most distinguished academic medical centers, the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center (www.massgeneral.org/cancer) is among the leading cancer care providers in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks the Mass General Cancer Center as one of the top ten cancer centers in the country. Its nurses were the first in Massachusetts to achieve Magnet status in recognition of the hospital's exceptional nursing care. Known for providing customized, innovative treatments and compassionate care to both adults and children, the Cancer Center comprises 22 fully integrated, multidisciplinary clinical programs and a vast array of support and educational services. Its network of affiliations extends throughout New England and the southeastern U.S. The Cancer Center's commitment to eradicating cancer is fueled by scientific investigation conducted as part of one of the largest hospital-based research programs in the nation. Through a powerful synergy between laboratory scientists and bedside physicians, the Mass General Cancer Center fosters innovation in all phases of cancer research. Physician investigators conduct nearly 400 clinical trials annually. The Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center is proud to be a founding member of a Harvard Medical School consortium designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center. This prestigious seven-member center forms the largest cancer research collaboration in the country. The promising new treatments developed through this partnership are revolutionizing the future of cancer medicine.
ABOUT PARTNERS HEALTHCARE
Partners HealthCare is an integrated health care system founded by Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition to its two academic medical centers, the Partners system includes community and specialty hospitals, community health centers, a physician network, home health and long-term care services, and other health-related entities. Partners is one of the nation's leading biomedical research organizations and a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Partners HealthCare is a non-profit organization.
