When the Oak Harbor, Hazen, Highline and Chief Sealth high school wresting teams meet for a double dual meet in Renton Friday, Jan. 13, there will be a lot more on the mind of Hazen coach Rory Magana than how the matches will come out.
The bouts will be the center attraction, but the evening will highlight pancreatic cancer awareness and fundraising.
Magana, a 2002 Oak Harbor High School graduate, lost his father, Rod Magana, to pancreatic cancer June 18.
Rod Magana, along with wife Susie, was a long-time advocate of youth athletics in Oak Harbor. He was diagnosed with cancer in October 2010.
At the double-dual meet with Oak Harbor, Hazen, Highline and Mount Rainier last season, Rodney Magana, in the midst of his nine-month battle with the disease, sat on the sidelines as an honorary coach.
Rory Magana said, “Our goal is to spread awareness for the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., right behind breast cancer. While pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers, the National Cancer Institute only designates 2 percent of its funding toward research…It has a five-year survival rate of only six percent. Seventy-five percent die within the first year. Money gets results.”
He said admission to the match will be by donation, and all proceeds will go to pancreatic cancer research and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCan).
Rory Magana added, “We will be hosting a bake sale and several other fundraisers that will be by the pledge system. For example, someone might donate a certain dollar amount for each team point scored. We are trying to make it interesting for those donating.”
PanCam is sending representatives who will set up information booths that will explain treatment and funding.
“Oak Harbor wrestling and coach Mike Crebbin have been very supportive through this process,” Magana said. “They were there for my family.”
The doors will open at 5 p.m. and the matches will begin at 6.
For more information or to donate, contact Rory Magana at rory.magana@rentonschools.us.
