ATLANTA, GA – MAY 19: Honorary Bat Girl Samantha Timmons poses with Brandon Phillips #4 of the Atlanta Braves before the game against the Washington Nationals at SunTrust Park on May 19, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves won 8-4. (Photo by Logan Riely/Beam Imagination/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brandon Phillips
Brenda Humphrey of Mableton served as Honorary Bat Girl for the Atlanta Braves at the May 19 game.
The Honorary Bat Girl contest recognizes fans who have been affected by breast cancer and have demonstrated a commitment to battling the disease.
After supporting and caring for her mother and three sisters as they each battled various forms of cancer over the years, Ms. Humphrey was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2014. The single mother of a Marine serving in Japan, she immediately began to educate family members and friends about the disease while going through treatment and recovery. Diagnosed again in March 2016, Ms. Humphrey continues to fight the disease while never letting it break her spirit.
The Braves hosted Ms. Humphrey on May 19 as the Braves played the Nationals at Sun Trust Park for a VIP experience that kicked off with a special lunch with the Braves wives. Following lunch, she watched batting practice from the field and stayed for the game. Ms. Humphrey also took home limited-edition pink MLB merchandise. This year, Atlanta Braves player Brandon Phillips served on the Guest Judging Panel for the Honorary Bat Girl Contest.
During the Honorary Bat Girl contest entry timeline, fans from across the United States and Canada shared how they, or their loved ones, support the cause to raise awareness and find a cure for breast cancer. The winners were selected by a panel of judges, including special guests, who chose the winning submissions based on the following criteria: quality of writing and description of personal connection to breast cancer, demonstration of commitment to the battle against the disease and public appeal (as determined by online fan votes).
The Honorary Bat Girl program was introduced in 2009 to raise additional awareness and support for the annual “Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer” initiative celebrated on Mother’s Day. In nine years, thousands of unique testimonials have been submitted and millions of fan votes have been cast. Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer is a Major League Baseball initiative supported by MLB charitable partners, Stand Up To Cancer and Susan G. Komen. This initiative raises awareness about the breast cancer cause, while also raising funds to support breast cancer research.
From the June 2017 issue of The Bright Side, Cobb County Georgia’s Newspaper covering Smyrna, Vinings, Mableton, Powder Springs and Austell, GA.
