With the third annual Be Bold, Go Gold! game this upcoming Sunday, January 12, Bradley Women's Basketball Head Coach Kate Popovec-Goss sat down to talk about what this game means to her…
 
"The number four resonates deeply with me. It's how old my niece, Melina Michelle Edenfield, was when she was diagnosed with a DMG brain tumor. It was how old she was when she died 32 days after her diagnosis. And unfortunately, it's the percentage of National Funding that goes toward pediatric cancer research. It astonishes me that this is all we are willing to invest in our kids. Four percent.
 
When Melina was diagnosed, her parents were presented with very limited treatment options. In fact, they were presented with the same treatment options as a little girl named Karen "Muffie" Armstrong. Muffie was the daughter of the first man to ever walk on the moon, astronaut Neil Armstrong. Muffie unfortunately passed away of a DIPG brain tumor in 1962. So nearly 60 years later, when Melina was diagnosed, no advancements had been made in treatment.
 
Children deserve so much more. Each day, 43 children will be diagnosed with cancer. Second only to accidents, cancer is the leading cause of death among children. Because of the toxicity of treatments, 2/3 survivors will develop chronic health conditions or second cancers. When Melina died, her mother, my sister Michelle, made it her mission to give far more hope to other families and children than was given to ours. Be Bold, Go Gold! is a day to raise awareness. To honor those children and families who have been affected by pediatric cancer, and to celebrate those who have fought and are still fighting. In honor of my niece, Melina, and so many other kids, let's Choose Joy, wear gold, and give our children something to fight for."
 
Check out Coach Pop talk more about Melina and her story in the video below!


The Braves will host Northern Iowa for the third annual Be Bold, Go Gold! game on Jan. 12, starting at 2 pm.