By Sarah Kuper
While fall fashion in Alabama can be dictated by football team colors, a new shade of support is clothing local businessmen this October.
From petal-pink sneakers to fuchsia bow ties, the American Cancer Society has real men wearing pink for breast cancer awareness month.
The organization chose more than two dozen Birmingham-area movers and shakers to act as community liaisons championing the breast cancer awareness cause.
“In a real way, breast cancer affects men too,” said Mallory Hill, communications director for the society. “So many men are the support system for the women in their lives who are diagnosed with breast cancer.”
Men also run a little-known risk of developing breast cancer, and the disease can be dangerous for men because they often do not think about testing for the condition.
Now in its third year, the Real Men Wear Pink campaign challenges participants to wear an article of pink clothing every day in October and raise money while doing it.
This year’s participants are Bobby Collier, Jason Bajalieh, Mark Bearman, Del Davis, Nick Derzis, Thomas Dudney, Chuck Faush, Roscoe Hall, Sly King, David Knight, Ben Lancaster, Randall Porter, Jordan Hovater, Devon Laney, Haller Magee, George McMillan, Eric Meyer, Jonathan Nelson, Joe Pilleteri, Eric Baumann, Troy Rhone, James Spann, Tommy Spina, Van Sykes, Art Tipton, Norman Tynes, Bayard S. Tynes, Jr., Ingram Tynes, Chris Vaklavas, Mel Wilcox, Will Haver, David Jackson and Bezshan Dolatabadi.
The campaign kicks off Sept. 28 at Regions Field with an event introducing this year’s group of men.
Hill said nobody loses when it comes to raising money for breast cancer research, but she does hope to see a little friendly competition spark among the men to raise the most money and awareness. ❖
