ST. LOUIS — In my line of work, everyone notices when you have a bad hair day. Television news anchors, by definition, are supposed to present the perfect version of themselves on camera every day.
So, when the folks at Komen Missouri asked me to wear a pink wig for a month, my heart immediately said "yes," while my mind wondered how I’d get this one past the boss.
Fortunately, 5 On Your Side President and General Manager Alicia Elsner and our owners at TEGNA also have a soft spot in their hearts for a good cause.
Starting Monday, Feb. 19, and running through March 26, I’ll be a member of the Heartland BigWigs, one of 10 local participants chosen for a fundraising competition.
That's right. Ten volunteers, including me, have agreed to wear pink wigs around town to spark a conversation about breast cancer and motivate those who see us to donate to our fundraising campaign. The BigWig who raises the most money is then granted the coveted title of “BiggestWig.”
I want to be that person. And I need your help.
While I’m in the heat of the BigWig campaign, I won’t be wearing my wig on the air to deliver the news. That might be a little distracting!
Instead, I’ll be wearing it in public in the hopes of sparking in-person conversations about the importance of breast cancer screening, how to support our family members currently battling the disease, and the need to fund scientific research that will lead to a cure.
The folks at Komen sent me a pink wig and created a web page for me. You can find it here.
No donation is too small.
My connection to Komen goes back to 1999 when the group held its first fundraising event in downtown St. Louis. I attended as a representative of 5 On Your Side and the public response even for that first event was overwhelming.
Thirteen years later, my mother was diagnosed and successfully treated for two different kinds of breast cancer. Knowing Komen was there to assist helped relieve some of the anxiety every patient and family facing this disease experiences.
If you need breast cancer support, resources, or financial assistance, anyone can connect with a culturally responsive navigator at 1-877-GO-KOMEN, or by sending an email to helpline@komen.org.
Susan G. Komen is the only organization that addresses breast cancer on multiple fronts such as research, community health, global outreach and public policy initiatives in order to make the biggest impact against this disease.
Breast cancer touches so many lives. One in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime, according to Komen statistics, and nearly 44,000 Americans die of breast cancer each year.
To date, Susan G. Komen has invested nearly $1.1 billion in breast cancer research. Komen has collaborated with more than 2,000 world-renowned breast cancer researchers leading to more than 3,100 research discoveries.
Susan G. Komen officials said they have helped reduce the breast cancer mortality rate in the U.S. by 43% since 1989.
Don’t forget to join 5 On Your Side Sat., June 8, for the Susan G. Komen More Than Pink Walk in St. Louis’ Tower Grove Park. The Opening Ceremony starts at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 9:30 a.m. Please register here.
I am once again honored to serve as emcee this year.