SHS Athletes Raise Money and Awareness

Each year, breast cancer impacts the lives of over 200,000 women in the United States alone. Although it’s important to raise awareness for this disease year-round, October is widely recognized as National Breast Cancer Awareness month, with SHS athletic teams showing their support this year.

Thanks to SHS athletic director Scott Paine and trainer Chris Alves, Scituate athletics was able to raise approximately $1200 for Breast Cancer Awareness through the sale of pink headbands and socks worn by SHS student-athletes in their annual Breast Cancer Awareness games. 

Initially unsure of where to donate the money that was raised, Paine learned about the Ellie Fund and immediately knew this charity was the perfect way to contribute. The Ellie Fund, originally started in 1993 by Eliot and Jeff Popkin after they lost their mother to breast cancer, directly benefits women who go through this life-changing battle, which is why Paine thought this would be a great charity for the donation.

On October 12, the SHS girls’ soccer team wore pink socks and shirts during their warmups. This game marked the 10th annual “Kick for The Cure”– a tradition that is raising community awareness about breast cancer and people who are affected by this disease. This year was an extra special event for the team, as they honored Karen Washburn, a mother of two team members. The team proudly represented Washburn on the back of their shirts and brought home a 4-0 win for her.   

Along with the girls’ soccer teams, the girls’ volleyball and field hockey teams wore pink socks; proceeds went toward Breast Cancer Awareness. Similarly, the boys’ soccer team wore pink headbands to support the cause. 

Separate from Paine and Alves’ efforts, the SHS football team raised money for the Ellie Fund at their home game on Friday, October 22nd, with the whole crowd showing their support by wearing pink. 

Chris Alves, the athletic trainer at SHS and Peak Performance and Sports Therapy, also took it upon himself to raise money for this cause. At Peak, Alves encouraged his coworkers and employees to donate, raising an additional $515 through his efforts. When asked about the importance of wearing the color pink during athletic games, Paine stated, “Athletics are a great tool to help raise awareness for all of the different types of charities.” Paine added that wearing pink “makes people think and question” about the impact of this disease. Paine hopes to organize additional charity events during the winter season to raise awareness of other diseases as well. 

Thanks to Paine, Alves, and SHS athletes and their parents, Scituate teams were able to raise awareness in support of those close to them, as well as thousands of other women battling breast cancer worldwide.