Illinois State Athletics and the Community Cancer Center announced the launch of a fundraising campaign benefiting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund that will result in a $150,000 grant in support of a program that will serve the underserved in the Bloomington/Normal community.
The fundraising campaign will be a part of Play4Kay, the largest fundraising initiative of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Play4Kay raises money in all 50 states and has enabled the Kay Yow Cancer Fund to award $7.53 million in the fight against ALL cancers affecting women. ISU Athletics has been an active participant in the Play4Kay initiative, and the women’s basketball team will host Valparaiso on February 16 for their 10th-annual Play4Kay Cancer Awareness game next month.
Illinois State Athletics and the Community Cancer Center will be participating in a nationwide pilot program through the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. As a part of the pilot program, ISU Athletics and the Community Cancer Center will raise $100,000 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund over a two-year period. Once this fundraising goal has been met, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund will award a $150,000 grant to the Community Cancer Center. Other universities that have participated in the pilot program include: Penn State University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Oklahoma.
“We are thrilled to enhance our efforts with the Kay Yow Cancer Fund through an incredible initiative with the Community Cancer Center,” said head coach Kristen Gillespie. “Coach Yow was instrumental to me as a player and a coach and if I can help carry on her legacy in any way, I know I’d make her proud.”
“The Kay Yow Cancer Fund has had an incredible relationship with Illinois State Athletics,” said Stephanie Glance, CEO of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. “This is a community that has truly embraced the spirit of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund – to give to and serve others. We are excited to be able to continue our ongoing partnership with Illinois State Athletics in a heightened way that will impact the Bloomington/Normal community.”
“The Community Cancer Center has been a great partner with ISU for the Play4Kay game since 2014,” said Joe Prosser, Executive Director of the Community Cancer Center. “This is such a great initiative to provide awareness and raise funds for all women’s cancers in our community. We are so excited about the new opportunity presented to us to put money into our local community and the Community Cancer Center to serve the underserved.”
Illinois State’s Play4Kay fundraising page can be found here.
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About the Kay Yow Cancer Fund
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund was officially founded on December 3, 2007, from the vision of the organization’s namesake, Kay Yow, former NC State University head women’s basketball coach. Coach Yow was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 before succumbing to the disease on January 24, 2009. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to being a part of finding an answer in the fight against ALL women’s cancers through raising money for scientific research, assisting the underserved, and unifying people for a common cause. To date, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund has awarded $7.53 million in the fight against ALL women’s cancers. For more information on the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, or to donate, please visit KayYow.com.
