Illinois State women’s basketball will host the 13th annual Play4Kay Cancer Awareness game at 2 p.m., Sunday, February 5, in CEFCU Arena. The game, against Murray State, is a fundraising event for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and the fight against all cancers affecting women.  

Illinois State Athletics is partnering with the Carle Cancer Institute, Carle BroMenn Medical Center, Mennonite College of Nursing, and the Pantagraph to support the cause. 

At halftime, there will be an on-court recognition of all cancer survivors and those currently battling the disease. Any survivor of any type of cancer is invited to participate.  

Find more information or make a donation.

The Illinois State women’s basketball program was recognized as a 2022 Play4Kay National Award Winner, as announced by the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. The Redbirds, who have been named a Play4Kay divisional winner the last seven years, are the first mid-major to sweep the Division I BCS and Non-BCS national awards. Illinois State has raised over $230,000 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund in their 12 years hosting Play4Kay games. 

About Play4Kay 

Play4Kay game efforts were started by the late Kay Yow, the former North Carolina State University head women’s basketball coach. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 and fought the disease three times until her death in 2009. While courageously battling cancer, Yow started the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, which serves to raise money for scientific research and to assist the efforts to fight against women’s cancers. To date, the fund has grown nationwide and contributed over $5.2 million to support cancer research. 

For questions about this event, contact the Assistant Director of Marketing, Danny Bugg by emailing dbugg@ilstu.edu

  

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