UVM Event Raises $60K for Cancer Research
from press release
Given the stigma surrounding testicular cancer, it's not
surprising that alumnus Colin Shore's battle to overcome it and
return to the lacrosse field without missing a game during the 2008
season didn't receive much attention at the time. It's a disease
that people, especially young men in their prime, don't like to
talk about.
That's something members of the UVM men's lacrosse team, their
coach Ryan Curtis and his wife Kelly, and Shore are working to
change through the creation of the Catamount Classic —
Lacrosse For a Cure, an elite college lacrosse tournament that's
raised more than $60,000 in two years for testicular cancer
research at the Dana Farber Cancer Center in Boston.
Shore, who was diagnosed with Stage 1 testicular cancer in the fall
of 2007 during a hernia checkup, underwent surgery in November,
followed by a month of radiation. "I was shocked and basically
broke down in tears," said Shore, who lives in his hometown of
Ithaca, NY. "I didn't know how to tell people. One day after
practice I just said to the team 'I have cancer; you can make jokes
about it if you want.' Being able to laugh about it was important
for me and the team."
Shore started working out in the winter and somehow managed to make
it back for the start of the 2008 season, playing in every game. "I
really wanted to play my senior year with my twin brother (Aaron
Shore '09)," said Shore, a member of the 2006 America East Academic
Honor Roll. "He took care of me during the whole ordeal. I had a
lot of support at UVM. It's great to see what the team is doing
with the Catamount Classic. I was shocked to see how many people
were there for the first year."
The driving force behind the Catamount Classic has been Kelly and
Ryan Curtis. Kelly, who worked for a doctor at Dana-Farber in
genitourinary oncology, raised money for cancer through walks and
other fundraisers and wanted to continue her efforts after she and
Ryan moved to Vermont. "I can't believe how quickly it's growing,"
she said. "We've had a lot of support from the athletic department,
students and sponsors." Curtis said local sponsors like the Vermont
Teddy Bear Factory, Junior's Pizza, The UPS Store, Leonardo's
Pizza, Sheraton Hotel, Hampton Inn and the UVM Athletic Department
have been critical to the success of the event.
Ryan knew that in order for the event to become successful it would
have to be a can't-miss event on the off-season lacrosse schedule.
Seeing a void for a top notch fall event in the northeast, he
managed to attract some of the region's elite teams. After a strong
inaugural showing in 2008, more than 4,000 spectators came to
Thayer Academy in Braintree, Mass. this October to watch nationally
ranked UMass, Holy Cross, Siena, Adelphi, Colgate, Albany, Bentley,
Robert Morris and other top programs.
"I floated the idea to coaches in the New England area, and they
sounded receptive," said Ryan. "But Kelly is the one who has really
taken the idea and run with it. It's a disease that guys aren't
comfortable talking about. What drives us is to get information out
to as many people as possible because it's treatable as long as
it's detected early. Our players were affected by seeing and
hearing about Colin and have stepped up and raised money and
increased awareness by helping put on the Classic and handing out
information."
For more information or to donate, visit www.catamountclassic.com ,
or e-mail kelly.curtis@catamountclassic.com.
