Saving lives through awareness and prevention one test at a time has been the dogged push for over twenty years for veteran MLB personality Ed Randall. A prostate cancer survivor, his “Fans 4 The Cure” Foundation has worked independently from an official designation for Major League Baseball for years raising funds and awareness for prostate cancer research.
One day that Randall and his organization has targeted to do their biggest push in 2022 is Father’s Day, and while they have had to pivot for various reasons to virtual events, their growth this time of year remains critical.
Then there is Father’s Day, when the official sponsorship on the MLB level will probably be replete with blue bats and other awareness campaigns driven by both MLB charities and some Big Pharma opportunities. However Randall as he has always done, looking to find ways to grow, like their recent work with mascots, and the idea, the simple one, of having a catch and using that simple act to raise awareness and dollars, with MLB legend Steve Garvey along for the ride as his spokesperson.
In past years the cause took to Minor League cities, with as many as 20 or 30 hosting Randall from San Jose and Batavia to Lansing and El Paso. All the cities provided information on the disease, the ways to test so simply and most importantly, the tales of success. It was never over the top with massive media support or corporate dollars and billboards, although Randall in the past has landed spots on CBS and “Morning Joe” to talk about his work. It was about a peer to peer awareness campaign in a setting that is intimate and simple, minor league ballparks, where the message hopefully won’t be lost amongst the myriad of promotions that go on during one of sports’ ultimate family experiences.
Can “Fans 4The Cure” benefit from official designations and massive sponsorship? Sure. Would Randall like and enjoy more funding wider? Absolutely. However, for now, his persistent push to deliver the message in his own creative and passionate way has resonated with millions over the years, and will continue to do as he, and millions of others pay tribute to their dads this weekend. For all the details on this great project, click here.
