The XL Center in Hartford was a sea of pink on Sunday, Feb. 3, as fans traded their UConn blue for pink attire at the annual UConn Women’s Basketball Play4Kay game. Among those participating in the celebration were breast cancer patients, doctors and staff from the Breast Cancer Program at the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at UConn Health.
Play4Kay brings communities together and honors cancer survivors in their struggle with cancers affecting women. Play4Kay was the vision of Hall of Fame Coach Kay Yow of the University of North Carolina, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 and after a 22-year on-again, off-again public battle, passed away in 2009.
Each year, UConn Women’s Basketball partners with UConn Health’s Cancer Center to create an unforgettable experience for patients battling cancer. At Sunday’s game, seven courageous individuals were given the opportunity to participate in a special pregame and halftime ceremony, celebrating their strength and resilience.
Before the game, patients June Gonzalez, Bobette Hylton, Jane Buden, Natasha Santana, Kristy Lankford, Crystal Driscoll, and Michelle Behme stood in the player’s tunnel, high-fiving and cheering on the UConn Women’s Basketball team as they took the court. The moment was filled with joy, encouragement, and a powerful display of community support.
At halftime, these inspiring patients returned to center court, where they were honored alongside doctors, nurses, and staff from the UConn Health Cancer Center. The crowd erupted in applause, recognizing not only the patients’ ongoing fight against cancer but also the dedication of the medical team that supports them. Each participant was gifted a UConn basketball signed by Coach Geno Auriemma as a gift from the team.
Dr. Susan Tannenbaum, an associate professor of medicine who will be retiring from UConn Health later this year after more than twenty years of dedicated service, joined the patients in recognition of the exceptional care provided to them, alongside Dr. Yueming Chang, assistant professor of medicine, Dr. Alvaro Alvarez-Soto, third-year oncology fellow, and Jessica Santos-Martinez, Breast Cancer Program Coordinator.
Since joining UConn Health in 2003, Dr. Tannenbaum has been a pillar of strength and a guiding light for countless cancer patients and their families. With unwavering dedication, compassion, and expertise, Dr. Tannenbaum has made a profound impact, providing care and hope during some of life’s most challenging moments and will be missed by many.
For the patients, the experience was both uplifting and unforgettable. “It was such an incredible moment to feel that love and support and be there with Dr. Tannenbaum who I am going to miss so much,” said Michelle Behme. “To be on that court, surrounded by so much encouragement, meant the world to me.”
Kristy Lankford, a teacher in her early 40s moved to Connecticut and was maintaining care for a stage 0 cancer caught in 2020. Last October when she was feeling ill, she visited a walk-in center thinking she had a virus but was sent to oncology where she was surprised to learn that the cancer had spread to her liver and bones. She had eight months of chemotherapy, and continued to work throughout her treatment as her students provided a good distraction. In addition to the care she receives from Dr. Tannenbaum, she also receives treatment at the Dana-Farber Institute. “Working with both Dr. Tannenbaum at UConn Health and the Dana-Farber Institute feels like having multiple levels of coordinated care, ensuring I have the best options,” said Lankford.
June Gonzalez, known to her friends as Jewels, had been treated for thyroid cancer in 2006, in October of 2024 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery in December. She had started radiation just days before her attendance at the game. She has been recieving care with Dr. Chang for her breast cancer and Dr. Beatriz Raquel Tendler for her thyroid. “I am blessed to have my care at UConn Health, everyone at UConn Health is amazing. I wouldn’t change anything about my doctors and the staff there,” said Gonzalez.
All the patients agree that annual breast cancer screenings, listening to your body, and self-advocacy are essential for early detection, effective treatment, and improved outcomes.
“This event is about celebrating hope and resilience,” said Jessica Santos-Martinez- Breast Cancer Program Coordinator. “Our patients are warriors, and we are proud to stand beside them in their journey.”
The collaboration between UConn Women’s Basketball and UConn Health is a testament to the power of sports, community, and compassionate care. It serves as a reminder that no one fights cancer alone and that every victory, big or small, deserves to be celebrated.
UConn Health’s Cancer Center is dedicated to providing top-tier care, groundbreaking research, and unwavering support to patients and their families.
