The fifth annual Battle for Breast Cancer field hockey benefit is scheduled for 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 18, at Thomas College turf athletic fields in Waterville.

In 2011, Paula Doughty, Skowhegan High School field hockey coach and a resident of Farmington, came up with the idea of having a benefit field hockey tournament as a means to get her players and others involved in a rewarding community fundraising project, according to a news release from Franklin Memorial Hospital.

Doughty chose the Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center in Farmington to be the beneficiary of the event she spearheaded with 100 percent of funds raised to be used for working people with breast cancer who are uninsured or underinsured.

Doughty, together with longtime friend and hospital volunteer Elizabeth Richards, organize the tournament each year, and education of the players is of utmost importance. Prior to the tournament, players learn about mammograms and breast cancer through videos and discussions with breast cancer survivors and staff of the breast care center. And, every team is offered a tour of the center.

Team members are currently doing fundraisers, and seeking donations from family and friends for the tournament and approaching businesses for sponsorship.

The July 18 benefit tournament will feature eight central Maine high school field hockey teams: Skowhegan, Spruce Mountain, Messalonskee, Mt. Blue, Lawrence, Mt. View, Leavitt and Nokomis; and four middle school teams: Skowhegan, Mt. Blue, Nokomis and Spruce Mountain.

Thomas College’s athletic facility features two side-by-side turf fields so that two games take place simultaneously. Cost to attend the tournament is $5 for adults and $2 for students.

A moving closing ceremony has become a highlight of the tournament. As dusk arrives and the final games end, players, coaches, parents and fans holding pink and white inspirational balloons release them into the sky with their thoughts of hope, prayers, and memories of loved ones, according to the release.

About the Beneficiary:

The Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center offers timely access to state-of-the-art digital screening, and diagnostic, clinical, and care support services by a multi-disciplinary team of health care providers. The center has locations in Farmington and Livermore Falls.

The Webber family created an endowed fund for the support of the breast center in 2004 in memory of Peter Webber’s late wife, Martha, who passed away as the result of breast cancer in 1995.

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