By Dudley Browndudley.brown@shj.comNext weekend, basketball teams will take the court at the T.K. Gregg Recreation Center for bragging rights. They'll also be honoring Barbara Haywood.
Haywood, the aunt of Leroy Wilks, died in December from bone marrow cancer. Wilks, the recreation center's assistant director, wanted to do something to recognize her and possibly extend her legacy beyond his family.
In January, he started sending e-mails to organizations fighting cancer and learned about the Chicago-based LUNGevity Foundation, which raises money for lung cancer research. Wilks said the foundation was the first to respond, so he decided to get involved, even though his aunt didn't have lung cancer.
A basketball tournament made sense because of the sport's popularity at the center, he said.
"Everybody else is doing walks and runs, and we decided to put our touch on it," Wilks said. "We thought we'd do basketball. It's different."
In January, he started sending e-mails to organizations fighting cancer and learned about the Chicago-based LUNGevity Foundation, which raises money for lung cancer research. Wilks said the foundation was the first to respond, so he decided to get involved, even though his aunt didn't have lung cancer.
A basketball tournament made sense because of the sport's popularity at the center, he said.
"Everybody else is doing walks and runs, and we decided to put our touch on it," Wilks said. "We thought we'd do basketball. It's different."
Wilks plans to have at least six teams playing in the tournament, which also will include games for kids, food, poetry readings and gospel singing. Trophies will be given to the top three finishing teams.
To read the entire article, go to: http://www.goupstate.com/article/20080701/NEWS/807010306/1106/living06&title=Basketball_teams_aim_to_D_up_on_lung_cancer#
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