Continuing its One Team for the Cure campaign in cities across the country, the NFL Players Association recognized Breast Cancer Awareness Month and honored survivors of the disease at an exclusive reception in New Orleans.Bourbon House in New Orleans played host to Thursday night’s reception. Saints players Mark Ingram, a running back, and Malcolm Jenkins, a safety, served as hosts of the evening’s event.Ingram said, “I’ve always been a guy who wanted to help, so when they called me and asked me if I wanted to go to the Breast Cancer Awareness reception, I felt blessed to do it because I’ve always wanted to be able to give back and help people in any way that I could.”The NFLPA One Team for the Cure campaign and the Susan G. Komen Foundation have partnered to celebrate the Race for the Cure throughout the month of October. Race for the Cure-New Orleans, benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation, takes place Oct. 22. Players will take part in the stage presentations from 7:30-8:30 a.m. and will do a meet and greet in the survivors’ area.“I think it’s a great theme because it’s true,” Ingram said of One Team for the Cure. “For everybody to chip in and just become one team and work toward a common goal of trying to prevent this the best we can, I think it’s awesome.”The NFLPA worked with local organizations to identify local breast cancer survivors and supporters of breast cancer awareness to attend the special One Team for the Cure reception. The evening honored their work and success in their battle with cancer.Other attendees, aside from Ingram and Jenkins, included their Saints teammates such as punter Thomas Morstead, former players such as Fred McAfee, Michael Lewis and Mike McKenzie, and their families plus other guests.“The event last night was a blast,” McKenzie said. “There were so many resilient that were willing to share their stories. The words that keep echoing in my ears was the importance of early detention. They wanted everyone to know how important it is for young people to get tested.”Breast cancer survivors and awareness advocates met and mingled with the players. Morstead, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, spoke at the reception. Survivors and awareness advocates were able to meet and mingle with the players in attendance.“At the end of the day, were all in it together when it comes to situations like this,” Ingram said.
Jenkins Lend Support to One Team for the Cure
