The Atlanta Braves will join Major League Baseball in once again celebrating Father's Day in an effort to raise awareness and fund research for prostate cancer by wearing special uniforms, wristbands and blue ribbon decals on Sunday, June 19. On Sunday, June 26, the Braves will host a celebration of survivorship honoring men who have courageously battled prostate cancer and a free Prostate Health Education Seminar before the game against the New York Mets.
All prostate cancer survivors will also receive a free game ticket, commemorative t-shirt and the opportunity to participate in the special on-field ceremony on June 26. The Prostate Health Education Seminar is open to all fans attending the game, and begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Hank Aaron Room at Aisle 128. For more information, visit braves.com/pcawareness.
On Father's Day, all MLB players, managers, coaches, trainers, umpires and groundskeepers will wear blue wristbands and blue ribbon uniform decals. Additionally, MLB Clubs will celebrate Father's Day in specially designed uniforms for the first time. Father's Day uniforms and caps will incorporate light blue into Clubs' regular logos against a grey or white background. MLB will donate royalties earned from the sales of licensed Father's Day jerseys and caps to the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and Stand Up To Cancer. Major League Baseball Charities also has committed $50,000 to PCF as part of this annual effort.
Additionally, Joe Torre, Hall of Famer, prostate cancer survivor, and MLB's Chief Baseball Officer, has recorded an important public service announcement to encourage baseball fans everywhere to support PCF's efforts to end prostate cancer.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and Major League Baseball (MLB) are once again teaming up to hit home runs for prostate cancer research and encourage fans to "Keep Dad in the Game" as part of the yearly celebration of Father's Day and annual Home Run Challenge. During this year's Home Run Challenge, MLB and PCF encourage baseball fans to visit HomeRunChallenge.org to make a pledge for every home run hit during MLB games played from June 13 through Father's Day, June 19. While visiting HomeRunChallenge.org, fans can also make a simple one-time donation, sign up to receive more information about prostate cancer, and participate in the PCF Home Run Trot promotion to win two (2) all-inclusive tickets to this year's MLB All-Star Game in San Diego. The Home Run Challenge program has raised more than $45 million since its inception.
Since inception, PCF has been a pioneer in new drug development, providing key funding for FDA-approved treatments that improve survivorship. Funding support of the Home Run Challenge by MLB and its Clubs has helped lower the prostate cancer death rate by more than 50% and made possible discoveries in prostate cancer that now extend to saving lives in eight other forms of cancer.