South Side Softball Tournament Aims To Strike Out Breast Cancer
CHICAGO (CBS) -- One-thousand-two-hundred women are expected to step up to the plate to strike out breast cancer. It's all part of the 23rd annual Y-Me Softball Tournament.
"We started this more than two decades ago with only 18 teams, now we have 64 teams," said Laura Kelly, Ginger Rugai Y-Me Breast Cancer Committee.
Kelly said most players are survivors, or have mothers, daughters, sisters, friends or coworkers affected by breast cancer.
"It's a day of camaraderie and catching up. Our motto is women helping women and together we can find a cure," she said.
The event's mission and focus is to find a cure for breast cancer by exclusively funding research. The proceeds will continue to directly endow investigations conducted by Dr. Kay Macleod, University of Chicago Medicine, Ben May Institute. She publicly credits the tournament's contributions in supporting her efforts "to advance breast cancer research and to examine the effectiveness of treatments that have shown significant cancer fighting potential."
Last year, they raised nearly $70,000 for the University of Chicago Medicine Ben May Institute.
"This is one of the biggest tournaments in the city and the biggest on the south side. All the proceeds go toward the University of Chicago," Kelly said.
The Y-Me tournament will take place on Aug. 26 in Mount Greenwood Park. You can register or donate at http://y-mesoftball.com/