Strike Out Cancer a Big Hit!

  It was hard not to notice the hundreds of NorthBay Healthcare employees, friends and family members at the Sacramento River Cats baseball game on Saturday, June 30. Filling nearly an entire section of the Raley Field ball park, the large NorthBay contingent cheered and waved blue pennants, as they showed their support for Genentech’s Strike Out Cancer day, a fund-raising event for the NorthBay Cancer Center.

 “The day was a tremendous success,” notes Colleen Knight, executive assistant, NorthBay Healthcare Foundation. “NorthBay and Genentech had an outstanding showing at the ball game. I heard from River Cats personnel that they thought we were a great group and they were very pleased with our support,” she adds.

 For the Strike Out Cancer fund-raising event, which officially kicked off on that day, Genentech has promised to donate $100 for every strike out a River Cats pitcher throws at a home game, up to $50,000, through the season’s end in September. Since the season’s first game in April, River Cats pitchers have thrown more than 365 strike outs, for a tally of $36,500.

 Not only did NorthBay nearly fill up an entire section with its supporters, but several special guests were feted at the event. Two patients, Teresa Alcala-Robles and Mu’Ammar Ali, who received Genentech cancer-fighting drugs and who had been treated by NorthBay, were featured during a special pre-game video. Teresa and Mu’Ammar, and their families, as guests of Genentech and the River Cats, then enjoyed the ball game from private box seats. In addition, a special 90-second video on the NorthBay Cancer Center’s 25th anniversary was shown, featuring all of our oncologists, as well as staff and cancer center patient Donna Quintero, who threw out the first pitch at last year’s Strike Out Cancer kickoff.

 NorthBay Healthcare Foundation board member Stanley Davis purchased 20 tickets to the game and gave them to children in the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program.

 Another private suite of seats was filled with employees of Vacaville’s Jackson Medical Supply, as a treat from owners Dallas and Wendy Jackson. The Jacksons were high bidders on these box seats during a Live Auction as part of Open That Bottle Night, a fund-raising event for the programs of NorthBay Hospice and Bereavement. “Wendy Jackson noted that their employees had a great time at the game,” Colleen notes.

 During the game’s early innings, Genentech held a raffle as a fund-raiser for Midnight Sun Foundation, which raised more than $3,100. Louise Henry, clinical nurse in the NorthBay Cancer Center, won the raffle’s top prize: A Day at River Cats, including 20 tickets to private box seats.

 To top off the day’s festivities, the River Cats beat the Colorado Sky Sox 9-3, and a fireworks display served as a fabulous finale to a fun day at the ball park.