Notre Dame softball’s annual Strike Out Cancer event will still take place this weekend, its originally-planned date prior to the cancellation of the 2020 season, but the event will have a new look.
A major annual fundraising event, the Fighting Irish’s Strike Out Cancer fundraising supports pediatric cancer patients local to the South Bend area. An annual event for the last ten years, the festivities have become a well-known fixture on the program’s spring schedule.
The event began in 2010 when Tatum Gumpf, the daughter of Notre Dame head coach Deanna Gumpf, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and has since raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for childhood cancer patients, according to a school spokesperson, while becoming a hallmark of the program.
For the 2020 iteration, things will look a little different, as the event will morph into a social media initiative designed to raise awareness. While the event will not be centered around a fundraiser this year, due to the current climate, the program still intends to raise awareness and are inviting others to join their initiative. The Fighting Irish are inviting all to wear orange and post photos and videos of support for the patients, survivors, and their families on social media, while members of the program and other members of the Notre Dame athletic department will also take part. Orange is the color for leukemia awareness.
