By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Chilton County Relay for Life celebrated the start of the Men in Pink fundraising campaign on Sept. 24.

This year’s Men in Pink are Aaron Ellison, Terry Hinton, Kendall Williams, Jeff Melton,

Cliff Ward and Shane Ogle.

“We have a great group this year,” Carla D’Andrea, community development senior manager for the American Cancer Society, said. “They are truly outstanding … whether they have been personally impacted or they just want to help find a cure for breast cancer and save lives.”

Each man has committed to raising at least $2,500 for the American Cancer Society during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“Thank you so much,” D’Andrea said. “We want to have a world without cancer in it.”

There has been an 38 percent decline in breast cancer since 1989, she said.

“We are headed in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go,” D’Andrea said.

It is estimated that more than 266,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. D’Andrea said 4,000 of these would be in Alabama.

“Breast cancer is not just for women,” D’Andrea said. “I personally know three men that have dealt with breast cancer.”

The 2016 Men in Pink team raised $40,000, and similar success is expected this year. (There was not a Men in Pink campaign in Chilton County in 2017.)

“Think about how you can help them,” D’Andrea said.

The Men in Pink shared why they wanted to be involved.

“I have plenty of loved ones in Mississippi that have passed from breast cancer and various types of cancer,” Hinton said.

It was his wife that asked him to participate.

“I lost two very dear friends this year to cancer here in Chilton County,” Williams

said. “… I go to church with so many people that are affected by cancer.”

Williams wears a pink bracelet as a reminder to pray for those who are battling cancer.

Melton said one of his employees has a son who is a cancer survivor. Another has a friend that is battling cancer.

“Cancer is just a very ugly thing,” Ogle said.

He said he has several friends that have had cancer.

“Our county is just full of it,” Ogle said. “It’s everywhere you look.”

He said he hopes eventually there will be a generation that does not know what cancer is because it has been eradicated.

Some participants outlined fundraisers they were working on. One built-in fundraiser is the Pink Tie Affair to be held on Nov. 8. Each of the Men in Pink are selling tickets for $35 toward their goal.

The American Cancer Society raises funds for research, lodging for patients and caregivers during treatment and wigs. It also provides support for breast cancer patients through Reach to Recovery and helpful information to patients as they battle cancer.

D’Andrea said it is not too late for additional Chilton County men to join the campaign. The goal is to have 10.

Those interested in participating can contact D’Andrea at carla.dandrea@cancer.org

The Men in Pink campaign officially starts Oct. 1 with the start of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Bios of each of Men in Pink participant will be printed in the Oct. 6 edition of The Clanton Advertiser.