Self Joins Cause at Annual Coaches vs. Cancer Event

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Alongside the most prominent men’s basketball coaches in the Midwest, Kansas head coach Bill Self participated in the American Cancer Society’s seventh annual Coaches vs. Cancer Season Tipoff Reception Tuesday evening inside Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.
 
A year ago, the event celebrated the 20th anniversary of Coaches vs. Cancer. In 2014, all those in attendance again paid tribute to contributions made by cancer survivor, Hall of Fame coach at Missouri and Coaches vs. Cancer Founding Father Norm Stewart and his wife, Virginia, who were unable to attend on Tuesday. Stepping in, their son, Lindsey, spoke to the crowd on behalf of his parents and extended the family’s sincere gratitude for making the foundation the enormous success that it has been.
 
During the evening’s main event, emceed by Time Warner Cable’s Dave Stewart, he announced that last year the Kansas City-area raised nearly $4.5 million to combat the disease. In the existence of Coaches vs. Cancer, a remarkable $100 million has been raised to “Finish the Fight” – which Stewart noted was this year’s theme.
 
“This is a cause that touches everybody, almost on a daily basis,” Self said. “For a Kansas guy to say, Norm Stewart is one of the coolest coaches that this profession has ever had and he was the ultimate competitor. To see how he took something that affected him personally and how he’s flipped that into helping so many others, and the sacrifices that he and so many others have made to help the American Cancer Society – it’s pretty remarkable.”
 
Joining Self, Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber, Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall, Missouri head coach Kim Anderson and UMKC head coach Kareem Richardson comprised the coaching panel that spoke to the audience. The tables of fans that filled the floor on historic Municipal Auditorium enjoyed the banter and candid conversations between some of the most popular local coaches.
 
The five also participated in media discussions to kick-off the evening, followed by a VIP reception before moving to the vintage wooden floor for the main event. Those in attendance sat in on a live discussion between the coaches and Stewart. Naturally, the Kansas City-based conversation started with the Royals and evolved into other topics such as the involvement of their sons and family within their teams, preseason destination tournaments and assistant coaches that ascend into the head coaching ranks.  
 
Silent auction bidding concluded the fundraiser. All proceeds from the items, and the event’s ticket sales, directly fund the American Cancer Society’s mission of eliminating cancer by helping people stay well, get well, find cures and fight back.
 
Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers basketball coaches, their teams and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer.
 
UP NEXT
Kansas will ceremoniously tip off the 2014-15 seasons at the 30th annual Late Night in the Phog Friday, Oct. 10, in Allen Fieldhouse.
 
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