The American Cancer Society Launches the Real Men Wear Pink Campaign

In its first year in southern Illinois, men will join forces to fight breast cancer with the American Cancer Society by participating in the Real Men Wear Pink campaign. In October, Real Men Wear Pink participants will encourage community members to take action to fight breast cancer.

"In addition to wearing pink and educating the public about breast cancer, these men will raise money to help the American Cancer Society fight cancer from all angles and save more lives from breast cancer." said Stephanie Smith Company. "The money raised is helping us save breast cancer lives through early detection and prevention, innovative breast cancer research and patient support."

Each Real Men Wear Pink participant accepts a fundraising challenge and will be competing to be the best fundraiser among her peers by the end of the campaign.

No one should be confronted with a single diagnosis of breast cancer, "said Ian Reihnhart, Financial Representative of COUNTRY." That's why I joined the American Cancer Society to support their work of rescue by participating in the Real Men Wear Pink campaign. It is a cause in which I personally believe and I pledge to raise awareness and mobilize funds for the efforts of the American Cancer Society. "

The Real Men Wear contestants from 2018 to date include 8 real men and 2 real kids, including:

Bob Chambers, silkworm; Ian Reinhart, COUNTRY Financial; Paul Melzer, COUNTRY Financial; Kevin Hunsperger, WSIL TV; Ed Tuggle, Deien Chevrolet; Nathan Collins, Walmart; Nathan Pittsenbarger, Sam's Club; William Cox, Boyd Healthcare Services; Hunter Kannmacher, Worden, IL; Sawyer Meadows, Collinsville, IL.

According to the American Cancer Society Cancer Facts & Figures 2018, approximately 266,120 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 40,920 women will die from this disease this year. In Illinois, 9,960 women will be diagnosed this year and 1,720 will die of the disease. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women and is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women other than skin cancer.

"Our community can have a huge impact on the cause of breast cancer," said Stephanie Smith, Community Development Manager for the American Cancer Society. "We are grateful to our participants of Real Men Wear Pink for having lent their voices to this cause and to fight for all those affected by breast cancer."

For more information about Breast Cancer or the Real Men Wear Pink campaign in Southern Illinois, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit realmenwearpinkacs.org/SouthernIL.