Alex Love Photo
Riverside softball players and coaches teamed up for the fight against breast cancer Wednesday night.
Alex Love Photo
MaryAnn Aslanian, mother of Riverside Head Coach Brenda Murphy, is a breast cancer survivor. Asianian threw out the honorary first pitch.
Alex Love Photo
Pink was the color of choice for the game versus Wade Hampton.
Riverside and Wade Hampton players released 100 pink and white balloons in the sky following a moment of silence before the game’s start. Riverside’s softball team sold the balloons and raised more than $2,000 for the American Cancer Society to go toward breast cancer research.
“The balloon thing was just a way to represent those who keep fighting and remember those who we have lost,” Riverside Head Coach Debra Murphy said.
“It’s really important as a woman and coaching women that everyone is aware,” Murphy said. “We want to see each other’s birthdays go by.”
Murphy’s mother, MaryAnn Aslanian, a breast cancer survivor, threw out the honorary first pitch. “I thought this was all very nice, I’m very honored”, Aslanian said. “My daughter has honored me this evening and the girls.”
Aslanian, 74, was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2011.
“When my oncologist told me I had cancer I said ‘just do what you got to do to get it out of me,’” Aslanian said. “I’ve got places to go and things to do. Thankfully I didn’t have chemo, it was only stage one.”
“I’m so glad she keeps fighting,” Murphy said. “Her faith in God is her main strength, she’s always been a fighter. She always kept all of us positive and all I can say is my mother has enough love for the whole world.”
Murphy has had family and friends affected by breast cancer and said she appreciated her team’s participation raising awareness.
“Living through what my mother went through I also have two aunts and three close friends that were affected by this,” Murphy said. “I can’t think of any other way than to give back to the community I’m glad this all came together.”
• Riverside softball has partnered with the American Cancer Society to host a fundraiser, “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer”, in Greenville, Oct. 9 at 2:30 p.m. at the Peace Center.