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The Fight Against Breast Cancer | John Rush’s Story

John Rush stood in the south end zone at Investors Group Field, just a few yards away from the giant pink ‘W’ that has been painted on the turf.

It was a fitting location, given the Winnipeg Blue Bomber fullback’s story and why Friday’s home date with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats – the club’s annual ‘Pink Game’ – means so much to him.

“It means a lot,” began the 23-year-old Niagara Falls, Ont. product.

“My mom was affected by breast cancer when I was younger, my one aunt recently got through breast cancer and another aunt is still battling it. My grandmother had it three times and finally fell victim to it when I was younger.”

“This month, as a whole, is pretty meaningful. The fact that the NFL and the CFL have stepped up to dedicate the whole month to breast cancer awareness and raising funds for it… it’s truly amazing to see that, because growing up there was never anything like this.”

Rush isn’t just talking the talk here. He has been growing his hair out for three years to donate to a cancer patient going through chemotherapy treatments.

His gofundme page can be found here.

Rush also has a tattoo on one of his forearms that reads ‘No Excuses’ as a tribute to the courage and toughness shown by his mother Debbie as she battled breast cancer.

“It was tough. I was scared as a kid. I didn’t know if I was going to have to grow up without a mom or anything like that,” said Rush. “But watching her go through that… my mom worked and never missed a day of work because of it. Watching her do that, watching her lose her hair, have to put on wigs and still go to work really instilled a work ethic in myself that anything you go through, anything you do in life, if you put your mind to it you can overcome it.”

As part of the annual ‘Pink Game’ the Bombers have donated 100 tickets to breast cancer survivors and their families through the Canadian Cancer Society and will honour survivors on the field before the game. Fans wanting to support the cause can purchase tickets using the promo code BBPINK and a portion of proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Volunteers from the Canadian Cancer Society will also be selling pink team merchandise at kiosks throughout the stadium as well as in the Bomber Store. A portion of all proceeds from pink merchandise will go to the Canadian Cancer Society in Manitoba.