Volcanoes Celebrate Cancer Awareness Weekend

KEIZER, Ore. - The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes kick started the team's 16th annual Cancer Awareness Weekend on August 4 when they continued their four-game series against the Everett AquaSox at 6:35 p.m. at Volcanoes Stadium.
The Volcanoes held a pregame ceremony where several cancer survivors met the Volcanoes starters along the first base line and formed a semi-circle behind the pitcher's mound.
Once everyone gathered around the bump, Dr. Bud Pierce of Hematology Oncology of Salem spoke on the field about the evening's festivities and the state of cancer research.
On Thursday, Pierce, a founder of Cancer Awareness Weekend, said the partnership with the Volcanoes to establish the event has been quite beneficial for the Salem-Keizer community.
"Lisa [Walker] was a patient of ours and was the driver for this idea, and I thought it was a great idea so we partnered. … We together have created a special event for the Volcanoes, our community and our patients with their families," Pierce said.
The Volcanoes will continue to celebrate and honor cancer survivors as well as those lives that were lost to the disease when the Volcanoes play the AquaSox this evening at 6:35 p.m. and tomorrow evening at 5:05 p.m.
At the conclusion of the fifth inning, everyone in attendance will to hold up "We Remember" cards, if they so choose, with a name or names of someone or multiple individuals who have been touched by cancer written on them. 
Pierce said the goal of this weekend is to unite the community and celebrate life.
"It's really about coming together and spending time together. Cancer is a fearsome disease in our time … and somehow stepping away from that intensity and coming together around the great American pastime just not only makes it more bearable, [but it also] makes life better."