October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and NFL players and clubs have become involved in raising awareness of the illness.

In Jacksonville, for example, Jaguars wide receiver KEENAN MC CARDELL has formed a partnership with Baptist Regional Cancer Institute (BRCI) for breast cancer research.

For every catch and touchdown McCardell makes this season, local women at risk for breast cancer will benefit. McCardell is donating $100 per catch and $500 per touchdown to BRCI for breast cancer initiatives, including BRCI’s participation in the nation’s largest breast cancer study. McCardell has 31 catches and three touchdowns so far this season, which has raised $4,600.

Proceeds from a limited-edition commemorative poster featuring McCardell will be donated to breast cancer research at BRCI. The posters, underwritten by Sprint PCS, are available to fans for a donation of $3, with all proceeds benefiting BRCI’s Breast Cancer Fund.

McCardell has two aunts who have breast cancer and understands the importance of bringing awareness to this disease.

"When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, it affects everyone who loves her," says McCardell. "I came to the realization that I need to get on board with this issue. It could have been my mother, my wife, and later on down the line, my daughter. I don’t want to see it in my family or in anyone else’s family."

Green Bay Packers center MIKE FLANAGAN also knows the effects of the disease. His mother Pam has been diagnosed with breast cancer and both have appeared on television to tell their story. This month, Flanagan, his mother and many Packers wives took part in the American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Run/Walk to raise awareness of the disease. Proceeds were donated to cancer research.

The ATLANTA FALCONS have dedicated the halftime of their December 6 game against the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS to breast cancer awareness.

A community fitness demonstration organized by the Falcons Wives organization and the Falcons cheerleaders will be held at halftime.

All proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The foundation was established in 1982 and has since been the nation’s largest private funder of research dedicated solely to breast cancer.

Each of the participants was asked to raise a minimum of $150 in pledges and will receive a game-day uniform, a commemorative video, lunch and transportation to the game. With at least 500 performers registered, the Falcons hope to raise more than $200,000.

Several NFL clubs participated in the Lee National Denim Day™ held nationwide on October 9. The teams allowed employees to wear denim to work in exchange for a $5 donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. In 1997, more than 800,000 employees at 9,000 companies nationwide raised more than $3.5 million through the program. This year more than 16,000 companies participated in the program and nearly $4 million dollars was raised.