It takes a lot of drive to become an Olympian, a dedication and drive to be the best in order to earn an opportunity to represent ones country. Monday, at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, New Jersey, eight members of the LPGA Tour who competed at the Olympic games in Rio, focused their energies towards another cause. Breast cancer.
Olympians Gerina Piller, Anna Nordqvist, Sandra Gal, Laetitia Beck, Alejandra Llaneza, Gaby Lopez and Giulia Molinaro were among 19 professionals who lent their support to longtime LPGA Tour member Val Skinner and her foundation’s 18th annual LIFE Event (LPGA Pros in the Fight to Eradicate breast cancer). Also in attendance were Marina Alex, Vicky Hurst, Brittany Lincicome, Sarah Jane Smith, Tiffany Joh, Kathleen Ekey, Danielle Kang, Mo Martin, Alison Walshe, Christina Kim and Jodi Ewart Shadoff.
“We had another wonderful day at our LIFE event,” said Skinner. “While the golf is always fun, it’s the program that reminds us all why we are here.”
Each year, the event recognizes a LIFE Hero for their battle with cancer as well as their efforts to raise awareness and education of the disease. In 2017, Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton and Kriss Fierro were selected as an honorees. Hamilton survived testicular cancer 20-years ago and has since been diagnosed with his third brain tumor. His mother passed died from breast cancer in 1977. Fierro was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 34 and has worked to help other patients at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey while undergoing chemotherapy treatment of her own.
“When we honor people like Scott Hamilton and Kriss Fierro, also a LIFE Hero, we refocus on the great need that still exists as we seek to eradicate this horrible disease.”
Hamilton was unable to attend. 2006 Olympian and figure skater Kimmie Meissner accepted the honor on his behalf.
The Val Skinner Foundation has raised more than $11 million dollars for breast cancer awareness. The six-time winner on the LPGA Tour began raising money for increased education and research following the death of friend and fellow pro Heather Farr, who died of breast cancer at the age of 28.
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