Green Bay Press Gazette article
Shelby Le Duc, Green Bay (Wis.) Press-Gazette
GREEN BAY — This month, officers are trading their traditional gold uniform badges for pink ones to highlight Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Inspired after breast cancer impacted his family, Lt. Steve Mahoney came up with the idea for the pink badges as a way to raise money for breast cancer research and spread awareness throughout the community.
Mahoney’s wife, Jen, was diagnosed in December 2014 with tubular carcinoma breast cancer. She underwent a double mastectomy and is now cancer-free.
Mahoney said his wife’s diagnosis was emotional and eye-opening. He learned through research and support from fellow officers that breast cancer touches nearly everyone’s life in some way. That includes Chief Andrew Smith, whose mother is also a survivor.
“With the badges, it’s not just about breast cancer research,” he said. “I truly hope that if a lady out there in the community — whether it be at a Packer game, when I’m working night shift or day shift — sees my badge and is convinced to get their mammogram. It saved Jen’s life.”
The badges were made by Medalcraft Mint Inc. in Green Bay. More than 100 officers bought badges, with $25 from each purchase going to Ribbon of Hope, a foundation that provides financial, informational and emotional support for individuals with breast cancer in northeastern Wisconsin.
