The Kent State Gymnastics team hosted its annual Pink Meet in the M.A.C. Center on Sunday to help to raise money in the fight against breast cancer and spread awareness about the disease.

The team wore special pink-and-blue leotards for the occasion. A pink variation of the Kent State athletics logo was also used, as well as other pink decorations around the gym.

Coach Brice Biggin spoke to the crowd prior to the meet and encouraged them to donate.

The jumbotron then displayed a QR code to a donation page for the Mount Carmel Foundation’s Cancer Services Fund.

The Mount Carmel Foundation is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it provides cancer care to patients.

Following the meet, Biggin explained that breast cancer does not just affect women.

“It can happen at any age, and any age, any gender, any color,” Biggin said. “Even if they find out early, we know that their chances are much better for a successful recovery.”

Sophomore Alyssa Guns revealed that her aunt had recently passed away from breast cancer.

“It affected our whole family a lot because she had just had a baby,” Guns said. “I’m really glad we get to go out here and raise awareness.”

Linked below is the donation page for the Mount Carmel Foundation’s Cancer Services Fund.

https://donor.mountcarmelfoundation.org

“We go out there and we’re fighting for not only ourselves and our teammates but fighting for people who have gone through cancer and gone through that battle which is way harder than what we’re doing out here,” said senior Karlie Franz.

Michael Neenan is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].