Local organizers are pleased to announce that the annual Go Pink for a Cure event raised $27,000 for patients who receive treatment with Breast Health Services at Knox Community Hospital. Now in its 21st year, the event is more successful than ever.
Held at the Mount Vernon Country Club, teams of golfers were clad in every shade of pink. Each team played nine holes while others enjoyed euchre and mahjongg in the clubhouse. A delicious lunch was served, and prizes for the golf scramble and table games were awarded at the end of the day.
“We feel that we are able to raise more support because the funds are staying in the community,” said Barbara Barry, chairwoman for Go Pink for a Cure.
Sandy Kollar, Vice President of Quality & Performance Improvement and an RN at Knox Community Hospital, spoke to the group about how the funds would be used. She explained that a cancer diagnosis often causes a financial hardship because the patient cannot work during treatment. Many patients struggle to find resources to help them heal. Kollar stated that Go Pink for a Cure provides patients with costly materials such as prosthesis bras and lymphedema sleeves.
Dr. Amy Murnen, a Primary Care physician at KCH and the event’s 2019 honoree, shared her experiences with cancer, having been personally diagnosed and treated for the disease, only to face a recurrence years later. She explained that her first bout with cancer was relatively easy, but it was her second experience with the disease that confirmed her as a “cancer warrior.”
Carol Sue Owens, a founding member of the Go Pink committee, asked each survivor to stand and be recognized. Each was presented with a survivor pin.
Planning for the event begins each January. Members of the volunteer Go Pink for a Cure committee include Barbara Barry (Chair), Carol Sue Owens, Cindy Miller, Teresa York, Sara Lynn Kerr, Marci Pressler, Julie Farmer, and Lori McKee.
“We are very pleased about what we were able to do this year,” said Barry. “We are extremely thankful for the support of the residents and businesses in Knox County. We want to encourage everyone to get involved to see how they can help.”
The next Go Pink for a Cure event is scheduled for June 19, 2020, at the Mount Vernon Country Club. For more information, please contact Barbara Barry at 740.398.7862.