ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --The atmosphere for Sunday's game against the Jaguars at Sports Authority Field at Mile High will carry some special significance, as the Broncos will celebrate breast cancer survivors throughout the day by honoring the survivors with halftime festivities and by wearing pink attire on the field.
Nearly 100 survivors will attend the game as VIP invites, and their courage will be celebrated during a special tribute at halftime – while Broncos players will don pink apparel on the field that will eventually be auctioned off to benefit the American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen for the Cure Denver Metropolitan.
The breast cancer survivor festivities are part of the nationwide Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as well as the Broncos' Be a Champion in the Community campaign – Susan G. Komen for the Cure Denver Metropolitan is one of the Broncos' 12 flagship community initiatives.
And ultimately, it's a special appreciation for the survivors who have exhibited great courage in overcoming breast cancer.
The survivors – who were identified through Susan G. Komen for the Cure Denver Metropolitan, the Broncos' NFL partnership with Clinica Tepeyac, the special survivor promotion at DenverBroncos.com and through the Broncos' season ticketholder family – will also be treated to a pink champagne brunch prior to the game. They will also receive a commemorative pin and a pink Broncos T-shirt from the team.
The celebration will kick off on Friday at Clinica Tepeyac – a Broncos partner – as fellow Broncos partner Entravision will help host a special live remote broadcast where the survivors will share their stories and give a preview of Sunday's halftime festivities. The broadcast, which takes place from 4-5 p.m. MDT, will be attended by Broncos Cheerleaders and by Miles, the Broncos' mascot – and tickets to Sunday's game will be given away on the air.
Meanwhile, the pink apparel worn by Broncos players – and throughout the league in October – will be auctioned off at NFL.com to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Additionally, some of the Broncos apparel will also be auctioned off at Susan G. Komen for the Cure Denver Metropolitan's Pink Tie Affair – the organization's annual fundraiser gala – on Saturday, Nov. 9.
The Pink Tie Affair gala will feature a silent auction where attendees can bid on player-worn and signed pink apparel, as well as an away-game package for the Broncos' Week 12 trip to New England against the Patriots. All proceeds will benefit Susan G. Komen – and the NFL Foundation will join with the Broncos to grant $10,000 to the effort.
Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas will also join the cause as part of the NFL Player's Association's One Team for the Cure initiative.
Thomas is one of 20 players who have been personally affected by cancer that will have personalized T-shirts available for sale at the One Team Shop. A portion of the proceeds from the T-shirts, which are on sale until November 30th, will go towards the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C., which provides research, education and treatment capabilities.
To check out one of Thomas' shirts and support the cause, go to http://OneTeamShop.com.
Finally, here is a list of the breast cancer awareness game features, as part of the NFL's* Crucial Catch* campaign, for Sunday's showdown with the Jaguars:
- Game balls, with pink ribbon logos will be used for every down, and pink kicking tees
- Pink equipment for players including: cleats, wristbands, gloves, sideline hats, helmet decals, captains' patches, chin cups, shoe laces, skull caps, sideline towels, eye shield decals and quarterback towels
- Pink coins used for the coin toss
- Pink sideline hats for coaches and sideline personnel and pink ribbon pins for coaches and team executives
- Special hats, pink wristbands, whistles and pins for game officials
- On-field pink ribbon stencils and A Crucial Catch wall banners
- Pink goal post padding in end zones
- Breast cancer awareness pompoms, shirts and wristbands for cheerleaders
