Socking out cancer at DICK’S Sporting Goods Open
To help kick off the first round of the DICK’S Sporting Goods Open at the historic En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, NY, the PGA TOUR Champions event has declared Friday as Sock Out Cancer Awareness Day.
From a medical perspective alone, the fight against cancer poses enormous financial and emotional challenges for affected patients and their families. In short, it’s all consuming.
Even if cancer stops a person in their tracks, there are many things in daily life that still need to be taken care of. However, the battle with cancer leaves many patients and families helpless to do such basic things as driving, shopping or even preparing meals. Sock Out Cancer is a non-profit initiative dedicated to supporting cancer patients and their families by providing non-medical needs such as food, shelter and transportation.
The goal of Sock Out Cancer is to relieve patients and their families of these necessary tasks, freeing them to focus solely on the fight at hand.
To raise awareness of the initiative, players and spectators were encouraged to wear Sock Out Cancer socks, which were available to purchase locally at En-Joie Golf Club or from the Sock Out Cancer website.
The different forms of cancer are represented by more than two dozen different colors. As such, the pair of multicolored socks that serve as the Sock Out Cancer logo symbolizes the fight against the disease in all its forms.
In addition to ongoing community fundraisers, Friday’s sale of Sock Out Cancer socks at the DICK’S Sporting Goods Open helped raise awareness and funds to help alleviate the blow of some of the financial challenges facing families have to fight who are fighting cancer. Players, spectators and staff were encouraged to spread the word and raise awareness for the organization by wearing the colorful socks.
“The DICK’S Sporting Goods Open is about harnessing the power of sport to drive meaningful change in our community,” said Security Mutual Life Chairman Bruce W. Boyea. “We are incredibly grateful to the tournament for making August 19 Sock Out Cancer Awareness Day and for helping spread the word about how Sock Out Cancer is helping cancer patients.”
“We appreciate Security Mutual Life’s support and the opportunity to work together to support Sock Out Cancer,” said John Karedes, director of the DICK’S Sporting Goods Open Tournament. “Sock Out Cancer Awareness Day is a wonderful opportunity to spark affirmative action for those who need help.”
Participating hospital foundations and other charities identify eligible individuals after which the funds and other forms of support are distributed.
Sock Out Cancer, LLC is owned and operated by the Security Mutual Life Foundation, a New York 501(c)(3) public charity. Deductible charitable donations can be made directly to Sock Out Cancer, LLC or to the Security Mutual Life Foundation.
For more information about Sock Out Cancer or to donate, visit online socksoutcancer.org.