FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mansfield women's soccer program donates $1000 to cancer charities

MANSFIELD – The Mansfield University women's soccer team recently raised and donated $1000 to Red Card Cancer and Malia Crushes Cancer.

“We've been associated with Red Card Cancer for a number of years,” said Mountaineer head coach Tim Dempsey. “This year the team also wanted to support Kids' Sake/Team Malia after hearing about her story.”

During October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, members of the women's soccer team sold Red Card Cancer tee shirts with additional funds raised through an annual tennis ball race organized and sponsored by the program.

This year sophomore Colleen Dempsey spearheaded the team effort organizing the tee shirt sales. Members of the team, who sold shirts to friends, family and fans, wore the tee shirt as their warm up jersey in the Mountaineers final home game of the season against Kutztown.

Red Card Cancer was founded by Bloomsburg University head coach Paul Payne in 2009 and partnered with the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Research Center at Johns Hopkins Medicine and D.C. United of Major League Soccer in 2010.

Kids Sake/Team Malia serves as a support organization for Malia Dakota Jusczyk who is the three year-old daughter of a former Northeastern University soccer assistant Glen Jusczyk and his wife Megan. Glen is a friend of Coach Dempsey's.

On April 1, 2011 Malia underwent a CT scan revealing a large tumor lodged in her abdomen.

A biopsy confirmed that Malia had a very aggressive childhood cancer known as stage IV neuroblastoma. The cancer has metastasized into her bones and bone marrow and she is now in treatment at the Children's Hospital/Dana-Farber Jimmy Fund Clinic in Boston.

“When you read Malia's story and realize the courage and determination this little girl has shown in her young life-- you just wish you could do more to help,” said Dempsey.

“I proud of our players,” added Dempsey. “College is about learning and becoming a better person and they certainly have shown both with this effort.”

To learn more about both organizations and how you can help visit their websites at: www.recardcancer.org and www.maliacrushescancer.com.