STATEHOUSE – House Speaker Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) and House legislators and staff wore sneakers at the Statehouse today in support of the “Suits and Sneakers” challenge to promote awareness of the fight against cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, last year 35,000 Hoosiers heard the words “you have cancer,” and of those, 13,000 lost their lives to the disease. Suits and Sneakers is a program sponsored by the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches to help raise cancer awareness and support those affected by it. “I was startled to find out that one in three cancer-related deaths are due to lack of nutrition and physical movement,” said Rep. Heaton. “With numbers this high, it is imperative that we raise as much awareness as possible about this issue, and show our support for those important members in our lives affected by this disease. Wearing sneakers at the Statehouse is my way of taking the initiative to bring these issues to the surface in hopes of reducing the effects of cancer and working towards a cure.” Coach Greg Lansing of Indiana State University men’s basketball team represented all Indiana college basketball coaches during his visit to the Statehouse. He encouraged House members and staff to continue to raise awareness on ways to reduce the risk of cancer. These include eating right, exercising, making healthy lifestyle choices and following the American Cancer Society's recommended cancer screening guidelines. “Cancer affects thousands of families across our state,” said Speaker Bosma. “I appreciated the efforts that our Indiana collegiate coaches took in challenging the Legislature to help raise awareness. It was a great opportunity to show our fellow Hoosiers they’re not alone in this fight,” said Speaker Bosma. Visit www.cancer.org for more information on how you can help spread the message and fight back against cancer. -30-
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