NBA and NFL Officials Team Up for 8th Annual “Blow the Whistle on Cancer!”
Annual Campaign Benefits The V Foundation for Cancer Research
(Cary, NC) -- For the eighth consecutive year, the game officials of the National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) will kick off The V Foundation for Cancer Research's annual Blow the Whistle on Cancer! ® Campaign. The campaign start also runs simultaneously with ESPN's 3rd Annual Jimmy V Week (December 2nd-8th ), a week of fundraising and awareness for The V Foundation and its mission to fund cancer research.

All 120 active officials in the NFL Referees Association will donate a portion of their game salary, in honor of colleague Bob Lawing's personal battle against cancer, as well as official Dino Pagnelli's wife Christie. League personnel, scouts and replay officials add their support and the NFL will match the donations generated by officials and full-time employees. This organization has contributed to Blow the Whistle on Cancer! since its inception, and has generated more than $200,000 for The V Foundation, funding two named research grants in the process.

“It is significant for us this season that we continue this all-important battle as members of our own officiating family struggle personally with cancer,” said NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira. “We all think about them every day and will not give up until there are cures for this disease that strikes so many of our loved ones.

“The time to `fight the fight' is over. It's time to `win the battle.' Our job is to make sure that a game is played fairly. Our obligation is to give every human being the chance to live a full life without facing cancer. We will continue to partner with The V Foundation and hope that other officiating organizations, no matter how big or small, join us,” Pereira added.

The National Basketball Referees Association members' participation in Blow the Whistle on Cancer! is once again particularly true to the cause.

"Our officials are proud and honored to be adding their support in The V Foundation's fight against cancer," said NBA Senior Vice President, Referee Operations Ron Johnson. "With the struggle that our Director of Officials, Bernie Fryer, has been fighting against cancer over the past few months, it really strikes home and brings to light the great work this organization does."

The NBA Referees Association last year helped to fund a $100,000 cancer research grant established by The V Foundation in honor of fellow official, Ron Olesiak, who was back on the court last season following his own battle with cancer. The NBA also matches the officials' contribution, which raises approximately $24,000 annually.

“Without the participation of these two groups, Blow the Whistle on Cancer would not be possible,” said V Foundation CEO Nick Valvano. “It is an inspiration to us all to watch these leagues band together for a cause that touches so many of people every year. Each donation, no matter how great, brings us one step closer to victory against cancer.”

The V Foundation for Cancer Research and the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) partnered in 2002 to encourage sports officials to “Blow the Whistle on Cancer!” Officials nationwide, in all sports and at every level - professional, college, high school and recreation leagues - are encouraged to join their NFL and NBA colleagues by donating a stipend from one game to The V Foundation.

For additional information on this, as well as other V Foundation events, visit www.jimmyv.org or call 1-800-4JimmyV.

V Foundation/Blow the Whistle on Cancer!® Contacts:

Director of Marketing and Communications Sherrie Mazur ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) 919-380-9505

Vice President Special Projects Joyce Aschenbrenner ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) 919-380-9505

About The V Foundation for Cancer Research

The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, The Foundation has raised more than $90 million to fund cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all new direct cash donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs. The Foundation, which has received seven consecutive top 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator, awards grants through a competitive process strictly supervised by a Scientific Review Committee. For more information on The V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org.