With 142 survivors, a “Pink Carpet Walk” for those survivors to be honored, a successful auction (conducted in person and online), and a competitive and entertaining game made the annual Pink Zone game featuring the Penn State Lady Lions a huge success!
“This game always makes me emotional just to see all the survivors and everyone in the stands always gives me a little bit more motivation,” Lady Lion point guard Makenna Marisa said. “It’s really special for our whole team to be a part of so it’s one of my favorite games every year.”
The Lady Lions’ first Pink Zone game was in 2007, raising $20,490 with 31 cancer survivors in attendance. Since then, it has grown to bring in more than $200,000 in seven of the last eight years and welcomes around 400 cancer survivors annually.
“The way you’re able to give back and pay it forward of a game like this, teaches you more than just basketball, how much the basketball and the jersey can do for you and how much you can do for others by putting yourself in a position to give back, to be a part of a cause that is way bigger than yourself,” Kieger said. “I hope our players remember this for the rest of their lives and not remember for the experience but remember it because it reminds them to give back to other people. That’s what it’s all about. To leave the jersey in a better place and leave a legacy and continue to understand that causes like this are important not only now and in college, but for the rest of their lives to give back.”
PHOTO ALBUM 1: Pink Zone Game 2022, Pregame Celebration
PHOTO ALBUM 2: Pink Zone Game 2022, Auction and Survivors
PHOTO ALUBUM 3: Pink Zone Game 2022, Photo Booth
