Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend, a collaborative initiative of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the American Cancer Society, is slated for this Friday and Saturday, Jan. 28-30.

Participating NABC-member college men’s basketball coaches, including Bears coach Sherry Dobbs and his staff, will wear sneakers instead of dress shoes with their usual game attire during this weekend’s games at New Paltz (Friday) and Oneonta (Saturday) to demonstrate their support for the American Cancer Society and the fight against cancer. To show their support of their coach’s effort in the fight against cancer, fans also are encouraged to wear sneakers to games.

By lacing up sneakers with their suits, participating coaches nationwide will spotlight the fact that while cancer remains a major health concern, everyone can take daily steps to reduce their risk of the disease. For those who do not smoke, weight control, regular exercise and a healthy diet are the best ways to improve health and reduce cancer risk. Obesity has been shown to increase the risk for many forms of cancer, including breast, prostate and colon cancers and may account for 20 percent of cancer deaths in women and 14 percent in men.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of college and high school coaches across the country, Coaches vs. Cancer participants have raised nearly $45 million since 1993 to help the Society save lives by educating and empowering people to avoid cancer or find it early, helping people facing cancer make decisions and overcome obstacles in their personal fight investing in research that yields ground-breaking discoveries into cancer’s causes and cures and helping pass laws that fight cancer and keep our communities healthy.

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information anytime, call toll free, 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.