Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/6/17
Staff Report
The 9th Annual Checking For Cancer Invitational will feature 11 varsity games Saturday at three sites in suburban Philadelphia.
This charity tournament benefits programs targeted to community support, research, education and awareness of prostate, colorectal and testicular cancers.
The Haverford School, The Shipley School and Agnes Irwin School will serve as hosts.
At The Haverford School, the host Fords will play Strath Haven at noon.
At Agnes Irwin, the host Owls will face Bishop Ireton (VA) at 10:30 a.m. In another key boys’ game, two-time defending Delaware state champion Salesianum School meets Long Island power Garden City at 2 p.m. at Haverford School.
John Nostrant, coach of The Haverford School, was diagnosed with prostate cancer 10 years ago, and former Georgetown Prep coach, Kevin Giblin, now the head coach at Bishop O’Connell (VA), is now in remission from his colon cancer. John and Kevin were roommates in college and line mates on the lacrosse field as players. They remain the best of friends. Both highly acclaimed coaches helped coach the United States U-19 Men’s Team to the International World Federation Championship in British Columbia in 2008. Each, however, has had to quietly but courageously endure private ordeals that are all too common to the thousands of individuals who are diagnosed with cancer each year.
The two helped create Checking for cancer to hep bring awareness to screening and early detection of cancer. Giblin, who coached at the first few tournaments, returns this year with Bishop O’Connell, which plays Harriton (Pa) at noon.
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American men, other than skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 217,730 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2010. About 32,050 men will die of this disease this year. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. One man in 6 will get prostate cancer during his lifetime, and 1 man in 36 will die of this disease. This disease starts in the prostate and if caught before it spreads is highly treatable and curable.
Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimated that about 102,900 new cases of colon cancer (49,470 in men and 51,370 in women) and 39,670 new cases of rectal cancer (22,620 in men and 17,050 in women) were diagnosed in 2010. This is a disease that tends to be slow growing and always starts as a polyp which can be found by colonoscopy. Proper screening should yield an almost perfect cure rate.
The good news is that the outlook for individuals diagnosed with prostate and colorectal is better than ever, and the key to a positive prognosis is screening and early detection. Beginning by age 50, men and women who are at average risk for developing colorectal cancer should begin a pattern of routine screening for cancer prevention. We hope that greater awareness will lead to an appreciation of the importance of screening and heightened vigilance in our battle against these curable diseases.
Checking for Cancer is a non-profit 501(c)3 Organization. For more information on the tournament click here.
Saturday April 8, 2017 (3 Sites)
Suggested Admission Fee ($10 per Individual / $20 per Family)
Supports the Fight Against Cancer
This fee Includes a Program Book while supplies last
Games at: The Haverford School (Boys)
Time Teams Division Location
10 am:
Bishop O’Connell-VA v Harriton-PA (Sabol Field)
Haverford School-PA JV v St Augustine Prep-NJ JV (Field of ’75)
12 pm:
Haverford School-PA v Strath Haven-PA (Sabol Field)
2 pm:
Garden City-NY v Salesianum Scjool-DE(Sabol Field)
Penn Charter-PA v St. Augustine Prep-NJ (Field of ’75)
Games at: The Shipley School (Boys & Girls)
Time Teams Division Location
8:30AM Boyertown (PA) vs. Germantown Friends School (PA) Girls Varsity Fuller
10:30AM Hill School (PA) vs. Shipley School (PA) Girls Varsity Fuller
12:30PM Baldwin School (PA) vs. Central Bucks South (PA) Girls Varsity Fuller
1 PM Shipley vs Roman Catholic (PA) Boys Varsity TBD
Games at: The Agnes Irwin School (Girls)
Time Teams Division Location
8:30AM Merion Mercy (PA) vs. Episcopal Academy (PA)
10:30AM Harriton (PA) vs. Wissahickon (PA)
12:30PM Agnes Irwin (PA) vs. Bishop Ireton (VA)