On Sunday, October 15, the Cincinnati Bengals faced the Seattle Seahawks in the second annual Crucial Catch game with Kettering Health as its partner. This is our opportunity to raise awareness for cancer screenings among the nearly 65,000 fans in attendance.

Throughout the day, we joined the Bengals in honoring those impacted by cancer: those who have won the fight, those who are currently fighting, and the legacy of those who have passed.

Follow along with the timeline below to “Experience the Dey.”

9:15 a.m. – Volunteers meet at Paycor Stadium to get their t-shirts and ask any final questions about their role. There are 37 volunteers from across the organization at today’s game.

Jeff Gehring is an administrative fellow for the system. Like many people involved in the game, he has a connection to the cancer community and wanted to show his support by volunteering.

“My mom just recently beat the battle of cancer. She was going through it for a year and a half, and it was really hard for our family to watch her go through that,” he said. “So seeing her come out the other side and be stronger through it, I sympathize with other cancer survivors and families that struggle with it.”

Molly McGinnis is connected to the cancer community through her parents who have both been affected by cancer, as well as her work. She serves as development coordinator for Kettering Health Foundation and facilitated the foundation’s annual Ribbon of Hope event just two days before the Crucial Catch game. She says it has been an emotional weekend, but wouldn’t want it any other way.

“As an employee of the foundation, I spend so much of my time raising funds to support, for example, the Women’s Wellness Fund and our patients that are treated at the Kettering Health Cancer Center,” she said. “So any opportunity we can get out in the community and raise awareness and share the experiences with people in the community, I think is awesome.”

Like Jeff and Molly, the game hits close to home for Mackenzie Dunn, director of Patient Access for the system. “My mom has had skin cancer twice. She’s going through the recovery treatment right now,” he shared.

“So, along with your breast screening, make sure you get your skin checked as well.”

9:45 a.m. – Volunteers disperse. Some head to nearby parking lots to interact with Bengals fans tailgating before the game, others set up booths in and around the stadium to connect with fans as they pass by. They all distribute “I Celebrate” signs—encouraging people to write the name of someone in their life impacted by cancer and take a picture with photo props—and Crucial Catch stickers.

Mackenzie is part of the team distributing signs to fans tailgating in the parking lots. “This game is an opportunity to interact with fans and bring awareness to cancer screening,” he said. “The game is kind of a back seat to the real purpose of us being here, but it’s great to have an opportunity where people are coming together, and it gives us an opportunity to talk about something that is so important to so many people in our community.”

11:30 a.m. – All gates open and fans begin pouring into the stadium by the thousands. Volunteers hand out stickers to fans as they head to their seats.

In interacting with fans throughout the day, volunteers find no shortage of emotional and impactful stories. Molly has one particular encounter with a fan that sticks with her. “A woman was pulling and pulling at her jacket. She wanted to show me she had her pink ribbon on,” says Molly. She said to me, ‘I have it on top of my prosthesis.’ That was one of those moments where you’re like ‘Oh my gosh.’”

Jeff also experiences a heart-wrenching moment with a fan. “There was a kid who was only about 15 or 16 years old. He’s 16 months post-cancer treatment, so it was really impactful,” Jeff says. “He was tearing up when he was taking a picture and said they wanted to come to this game specifically because it’s honoring the cancer community.”

12:33 p.m. – Judy Ippisch, Epic analyst I for the system and breast cancer survivor, delivers the game ball.

12:50 p.m. – Tom Beery is a stage 4 esophageal cancer survivor and Kettering Health patient. He leaves fans awestruck as he beautifully belts out the national anthem.

12:59 p.m. – Breast cancer survivor and senior project manager for the Center for Excellence Heidi Siens was recently named Ruler of the Jungle by the Bengals. Moments before kickoff, she pumps up the stadium by energetically leading the “Who Dey” chant.

After catching her breath following her adrenaline-pumping spotlight, Heidi reflects on the moment. “It means so much to be chosen to be honored and to be here today among so many other cancer survivors.”

1 p.m. – Kickoff! The Bengals begin their fight to beat the Seattle Seahawks in honor of the cancer community.

2:20 p.m. – An incredible number of fans remain in their seats to witness a moving halftime ceremony honoring 10 cancer survivors. As artist Zodiac Cat sings Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song,” the employees and patients ring the bell one by one to signify their survivorship. Many fans hold up the signs they’ve made to celebrate those in their life affected by cancer.

Of the group of 10, two survivors are employees: Jim O’Donnell and Heidi Siens. Others are Kettering Health patients: Emily Gleason, Courtney Norman, Paul Miller, Sarah Francis, Susan Verdier, Robert Cummins, and Diane Spitler.

Eight-year-old Graham Schroth received pediatric care at Cincinnati Children’s for B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The crowd roars as he’s lifted by Who Dey to ring the bell.

Dr. E. Ronald Hale, Kettering Health’s medical director for Radiation Oncology, gives the final ring to signify our organization’s support for all those impacted by cancer.

“I took it very seriously because I understood that I was representing those who didn’t survive. I also was there for the myriad of healthcare providers—physicians, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, social workers—people who work in this field,” says Dr. Hale. “It takes a very special person to dedicate their life to working with cancer and treating cancer patients and trying to cure their cancer and trying to improve their quality of life. So, I felt very much the presence of all these people that I know and work with there on the field with me, and took a moment to pay respect to all those who sacrifice so much to help our cancer patients.”

More than 34,000 fans engage in the ceremony by ringing the bell alongside the survivors on the Bengals mobile app.

2:40 p.m. – Immediately following the ceremony, employees Heidi and Jim speak with Daniel Wolcott, our president of Acute Care, about how it feels to be honored in the ceremony.

Fans also shared their reactions through social media.

2:50 p.m. – Shawn Egbert, a cancer survivor and Kettering Health patient, is recognized as a Hometown Hero for her impact in the community. Six years ago after completing cancer treatment, Shawn joined Pink Ribbon Good, a support organization for people battling breast and gynecological cancers. She strives to promote that your cancer diagnosis does not define you and to be a beacon of hope to those she interacts with. 

3:10 p.m. – Eric Dietrich, senior videography specialist, gives fans the rush they need to cheer the Bengals to victory as he plays “Welcome to the Jungle” on the guitar at the start of the fourth quarter.

3:54 p.m. – Making fans and the cancer community proud, the Bengals overtake the Seahawks in a 17-13 victory.

Dr. Hale explains why it’s important for our organization to be involved in an event like the Crucial Catch game. “I think it speaks well for us as a health system because in my mind, we need to be great at treating cancer but the rest of being a health system is that we have to be great to be able to diagnosis it early, to be able to prevent the cancers,” he said.

“At the end of the day, the best cancer treatment in the whole world is one that a patient never needs.”

See more photos from the game below.

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”396″ gal_title=”2023 Crucial Catch Game”]