HOUSTON – October is national Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the Houston Texans and the National Football League are once again doing their part to promote the cause through the League's month-long "A Crucial Catch" campaign. In what has become an NFL tradition, players and coaches across the League will wear pink shoes, gloves and apparel in games throughout the month to show their support.
Game-worn pink merchandise and footballs will be autographed post-game and auctioned online at www.nfl.com/auction. All NFL Auction proceeds from the sale of breast cancer awareness items during the month of October will benefit the American Cancer Society. Special pink merchandise will also be available in the Go Texan Store and online at www.NFLShop.com, www.neweracap.com and www.nike.com, with a portion of proceeds going to breast cancer charities.
The Texans have two weeks of events planned designed to raise awareness of the issue, beginning yesterday and leading up to the team's Oct. 14 home game against the Green Bay Packers. The theme for next Sunday's game is Pink Ribbon Day presented by Kroger. Texans fans will join in a stadium-wide card stunt that will turn Reliant Stadium completely pink prior to kickoff of the nationally-televised game.
On Tuesday, linebacker Bradie James joined more than 20 breast cancer patients and their caregivers at the Texans Tickled Pink Spa Day, at which the ladies were treated to massages, manicures and pedicures, and received a "Look Good, Feel Better" presentation from the American Cancer Society. James surprised each of the patients with a pair of tickets to the Oct. 14 game and invited them to hold the Texas flag during the pregame festivities. (Click here for a video recap.)
The Texans are also strong supporters of the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, which will take place this Saturday, Oct. 6, along Allen Parkway. More than 170 Texans fans and members of the Texans organization will participate in the race, including Texans Cheerleaders, staff, and members of the Lady Texans – the wives of Texans players, coaches and executives.
Fans wishing to join the organization in supporting the Susan G. Komen Foundation may do so by donating online via HoustonTexans.com, with 100% of the contributions going to the Komen Foundation. Every fan who donates online will be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to the Oct. 14 game against Green Bay. Additionally, Kroger has pledged to match all donations up to $10,000. Online donations will be accepted until Friday, Oct. 12 at 1:00 p.m. CDT.
The Houston Texans Foundation will show its support by donating all of the proceeds from the sales of pink memorabilia at the Oct. 14 Game Day Auction to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Auction items will include player-autographed and game-worn cleats, gloves and apparel, along with other pink Texans memorabilia.
Prior to kickoff of the Texans' game against the Packers on Oct. 14, Janice McNair, the "First Lady of the Texans," and Debbie Phillips, wife of former Houston Oilers Head Coach Bum Phillips, will serve as the team's honorary captains. Both Mrs. McNair and Mrs. Phillips are survivors of breast cancer.
Mrs. McNair and her husband, Texans Founder, Chairman and CEO Bob McNair, are the spokespersons for the American Cancer Society's capital campaign to build a Hope Lodge, a no-cost residential facility for cancer patients and their families to stay in while they are undergoing treatment at the Texas Medical Center.
