October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed form of cancer. Doctors around the world are working towards a cure, and are coming close. They need all the help they can get to raise money and awareness for this terrible disease. Right now, the best way to prevent this disease is to get screened early and often; however, most Americans do not.

       The National Football League (NFL) has partnered with The American Cancer Society and started a campaign called “A Crucial Catch.” The Crucial Catch campaign is about raising awareness for getting annual breast cancer screenings. The campaign started in 2011 and has been thriving ever since. However, many still wonder just how it has been so successful.

Football holds the title of “America’s sport.” During the football season, stations like CBS, FOX Sports, ESPN, and NBC’s ratings go up due to football coverage. In fact, Sunday Night Football has been known to be the #1 program on Sundays. It is obvious that the American Cancer Society partnered with the NFL because of the popularity of the game. Many believe that the NFL does not really care about the matter on hand. Kasey Drane ’18 is one of those people. She says, “I think that the NFL does it to make like they seem like they care.” If they are just running the Crucial Catch for sympathy from others, they make it convincing that this is not true.

Anyone that watches NFL football during October will notice all of the pink worn by players, officials, and coaches. They get customized gear, paid for by the NFL and the American Cancer society. The players receive socks, cleats, gloves, compression gear, towels, and small breast cancer patches to put on their jerseys. The NFL also makes pink fan gear, like shirts, sweaters, and replica jerseys. At the end of October, the NFL auctions off all of the player and official’s gear. All of the proceeds are said to go the American Cancer Society, but there have been reports that there is, in fact, no money donated from the NFL that is used for Breast Cancer research. American Cancer Society spokeswomen Tara Peters came out and said this: “The money that we receive from NFL has nothing to do with our research program”.

     On the other hand, many people also think that the Crucial Catch campaign is an amazing idea. “It’s great,” says Ryan Fischer ’18, “It spreads awareness of how breast cancer affects people and urges people to screen themselves.” Regardless of whether the NFL is doing this for marketing, it is still making people more aware of breast cancer. Pink is the universal color for Breast Cancer awareness, so seeing the pink gear is a mental trigger for Breast Cancer. Performing Arts teacher Margaret Anne Butterfield says, “Of course it’s for marketing. The NFL is all about money. But who’s to say it isn’t a good thing to do?”

The Crucial Catch Campaign is not the only campaign that NFL sponsors. This November, the NFL is doing a fundraiser, called Salute to Service, in spirit of Memorial Day. Salute to Service is a fundraiser for military appreciation. During this fundraiser, for every point scored in a Salute to Service game, the NFL will donate 1,000 dollars to one of three charities: The Wounded Warrior Project, The Pat Tillman Foundation, or the USO. As of November 10th, the NFL has raised 658,000 dollars. Like the Crucial Catch, the Salute to Service campaign has special equipment: the players are decorated in camouflage.

Even if the NFL is doing these events for marketing purposes, it is still making a difference; more sports teams and organizations are going pink for October to raise awareness. It is a possibility that the NFL could do this for other diseases as well. Carl Beskrone ’19 says, “I think that breast cancer awareness is good, but I also think that there needs to be more awareness for other diseases, like alzheimer’s disease and diabetes and other horrible illnesses.” For the time being, the NFL has done a great job, but many think they should do more to make people aware of where the money they raise is going. What is important is that organizations that hold power are trying to do their part to raise awareness for diseases that affect millions worldwide.