In support of the NFL league-wide “A Crucial Catch” breast cancer awareness campaign during the month of October, the Redskins have announced a series of initiatives and events to create awareness and prevention among their fans.

In recognition of her unwavering support for breast cancer initiatives, as well as her own successful battle against the disease, Tanya Snyder will serve as an official NFL spokesperson for the breast cancer awareness campaign.

Mrs. Snyder was featured on Sunday, Sept. 27 in an article in The New York Times titled "Wife of Redskins Owner Finds Her Voice In Cancer Fight."

Mrs. Snyder will also serve as the official Coin Toss Observer when the Redskins host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 4, the designated Redskins Breast Cancer Awareness game.

For Mrs. Snyder, a longtime breast cancer fundraiser, the connection to breast cancer is a personal one.

Tanya Snyder (Ned Dishman Photo)

“Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 American women and I was one of them last year,” she said. “I am proud to work with the league and the Redskins to remind fans about the importance of annual screenings.”

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Chris and Christy Cooley and Derrick and Emma Dockery, in partnership with the Washington Redskins and the American Cancer Society, will host the second annual All Star Survivors Luncheon for area women currently battling breast cancer.

The breast cancer survivors attending the event will be pampered and supported by a host of players, coaches, and their wives, including Tanya Snyder, Joy Zorn, Christy Cooley, and Emma Dockery serving as “Team Captains.”

At the luncheon, breast cancer survivor “all stars” will enjoy a pink-themed lunch in the players cafeteria before being treated to an afternoon of pampering that includes receiving a brand-new wig and scarf, a makeup session with a licensed cosmetologist and $300 worth of makeup, a new pair of jeans donated by Gap, Inc., and a private tour of Redskins Park led by Cooley and Dockery.

Fans attending the Redskins-Buccaneers game will be welcomed by dozens of Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) sorority members distributing 45,000 Think Pink ribbons and education cards in support of breast cancer awareness. GlaxoSmithKline is partnered with Think Pink and the Redskins in the campaign.

Wives of Redskins players and coaches will join Redskins Cheerleaders, Hogettes and ZTA volunteers in handing out ribbons before kickoff.

With the founding and continuous support of Tanya Snyder and the Washington Redskins, ZTA created a national model for its Think Pink breast cancer awareness and education campaign around the National Football League.

When Mrs. Snyder and ZTA started this campaign in 1999, the Redskins were the only team in the league to participate. Eleven years later, 20 of the 32 National Football League clubs will participate in the ZTA Think Pink campaign.

In the past 11 years Think Pink  events have reached over 1.5 million football fans with the message of early detection and annual screening, over 250,000 of those fans being reached through the campaign Mrs. Snyder has championed at FedExField.

Moreover, in partnership with The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, the GW Mammovan will be on-site prior to Oct. 4 kickoff and through the first quarter to provide educational materials as well as tours of the mammovan for interested fans. This appearance by the GW Mammovan marks the first of a series of visits by the mammovan throughout the greater Washington, DC area.

The Redskins will be teaming up with GW to provide free mammograms for underserved area women throughout the month of October.

The Oct. 4 Redskins-Buccaneers game will also feature:

• Twenty “All Star Survivors” that attended the All Star Survivors Luncheon on Sept. 29 a special on-field guests to welcome the team onto the field during player introductions
• Players wearing pink cleats, wristbands, gloves, sideline caps, helmet decals, captains’ patches, sideline towels and quarterback towels
• Pink sideline caps for coaches and sideline personnel and pink ribbon pins for coaches and team executives
• On-field pink ribbon stencils and Crucial Catch wall banners
• Pink goal post padding in end zones
• K-balls with pink ribbon decals
• Pink coins used for coin toss

Game-worn pink merchandise and K-balls will be autographed post-game and auctioned off at NFL Auction (www.NFLAuction.NFL.com), with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society and team charities.

Also, specially designed, limited-edition Redskins pink hats, Be Luv’d pink jerseys and wristbands are available for sale game days at FedExField, on Redskins.com and at all 14 area Washington Redskins Official Stores during the month of October. A donation will be made from the sale of each hat, wristband and jersey to ZTA’s breast cancer awareness and mammography initiative.

Fans who buy the Breast Cancer Awareness Month hats and jerseys at all Washington Redskins Official Stores will also receive 20 percent off any additional items. This offer is NOT valid on GameDay at FedExField, online at Redskins.com or on Sean Taylor items and cannot be combined with any other offer.