On Sept. 9, the Grove City College women’s volleyball team will face off against Carnegie Mellon University. And while the regional rivals will be battling on the court, the players and their coaches are teaming up against a bigger foe.
The game will serve as the focal point of an effort to raise awareness about cancer and money to support patients battling it. Grove City head coach Leo Sayles, who also serves as associate director for Sport Ministry, was recently diagnosed with active multiple myeloma, stage one.
In part because of that diagnosis and since September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, Sayles said he decided to focus on sharing information about multiple myeloma and set up a GoFundMe account that will benefit the benevolence fund of the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute at Grove City Hospital, which supports patients and caregivers.
The comfort and support patients receive from gift cards for gas and food, blankets, toiletries and more that the fund provides is as important as the research and treatment that other fundraising efforts support, Sayles told The Collegian, Grove City College’s student newspaper.
“I have often encouraged others to find ways to come alongside patients and caregivers. Often fund-raising efforts are focused on much-needed research, but individuals in the local community may be overlooked,” he said. “The AHN Grove City Cancer Institute is more than just a treatment center; it is a beacon of hope, providing a comprehensive care environment that addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of its patients.”
In addition to fundraising, Sayles is mounting an awareness campaign via social media and will be setting up information tables at the game and in Breen Student Union on campus where students, faculty, and staff can learn more and donate. Fans are encouraged to wear red to the game in recognition of blood cancer awareness.
This isn’t the first time that Sayles has turned sport into public service. In years past he’s teamed up with other coaches and colleges to host benefit matches in support of individual students battling cancer. “A cancer diagnosis is life-shattering for anyone. I believe supporting the Cancer Institute will provide care for many,” he said.
Sayles, who had a large tumor removed in 2023 after being diagnosed with kidney cancer, will be starting chemotherapy later this month. “I came along at a good time. The research has done its job. Myeloma is treatable, and I have a good prognosis,” he said.
To donate to the effort, visit gofundme.com/f/help-leo-sayles-and-ahn-grove-city-cancer-institute.