Major League Baseball has announced the 2018 Honorary Bat Girls for each MLB Club in support of the annual "Going To Bat Against Breast Cancer" initiative, which is traditionally commemorated each Mother's Day.
For the first time since the Honorary Bat Girl program's start in 2009, Clubs had the opportunity to hand-select their respective honorees, each of whom have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to battling breast cancer.
The Honorary Bat Girl for the Cincinnati Reds is Carrie K. Hayden of Cincinnati. The Reds will honor Carrie with an on-field ceremony on Friday, May 18 before the Reds vs. Chicago Cubs game (7:10 p.m.) at Great American Ball Park.
Carrie Hayden is a wife, mother, grandmother, community volunteer and a two-time cancer survivor. The two-time experience with cancer has led her to understand the true value of cancer research and its role in the prevention and successful treatment of cancer and cancer survivorship. Carrie is dedicated to reducing the incidence of cancer and in improving the success rate of cancer treatment in our region and beyond.
She has actively served as an advisor to the Cincinnati Cancer Center and the University of Cincinnati Cancer Institute. She is also Chair of the University of Cincinnati Center for Integrative Health and Wellness Advisory Board. Carrie is a Trustee of the University of Cincinnati Foundation, where she Chairs the Development Committee, is a Co-Chair of the University of Cincinnati Comprehensive Campaign Committee and serves on the Executive Committee.
Carrie and her husband, John, currently serve as Co-Chairs of the Campaign for National Cancer Institute (NCI) Designation for the Cincinnati Cancer Center. She is also chair of the Cancer Ends Here Rally on Sept 29, 2018, at Great American Ball Park.
"Major League Baseball has a rich tradition of bringing awareness to causes that affect us all," said Phil Castellini, Reds President and Chief Operating Officer. "We are proud to honor Carrie and look forward to helping our city earn an NCI designation."
Since 2006, players have swung pink bats, worn pink ribbon decals and sported pink wristbands through the "Going To Bat Against Breast Cancer" initiative, which is intended to raise awareness and, through donations and auction proceeds, funds to fight breast cancer. MLB will again donate its licensed uniform royalties through Mother's Day apparel to Susan G. Komen and Stand Up To Cancer.
The Honorary Bat Girl program was introduced in 2009 to raise additional awareness and support for the annual "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer" initiative celebrated on Mother's Day. Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer is a Major League Baseball initiative supported by MLB charitable partners, Stand Up To Cancer and Susan G. Komen. This initiative raises awareness about the breast cancer cause, while also raising funds to support breast cancer research. For more information, please visit HonoraryBatGirl.com.