Beattie’s win secures $30,000 in charitable donations for her work with breast cancer awareness and prevention efforts
San Francisco (November 21, 2024) – Bay FC, the professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), announced today defender Jen Beattie is the Overall Winner of the 2024 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide. As the overall winner, Beattie will designate $30,000 in charitable donations to her community partner – Pink Ribbon Good – a Bay Area non-profit which provides support for those going through breast and gynecological cancer treatment. Beattie was nominated for her outstanding community service within the breast cancer community in the Bay Area and previously in the United Kingdom after her own early diagnosis with the disease in 2020.
“My work with breast cancer charities means so much to me and it has since 2020 when I started doing it after my own cancer diagnosis,” said Beattie. “To have a legend like Lauren Holiday at the forefront: understanding the impact she has had in the community beyond football is why it matters the most to me. I love football – it’s my job and my passion – but I think it’s important to use the platform we have whether it’s big or small, to raise as much awareness as possible and ultimately create a community to help people.”
The overall win comes after Beattie was named the Fan Vote Winner on November 1, 2024, after fan voting was open throughout the month of October, allowing her to donate an additional $5,000 to Cancer Research UK – the world’s largest independent cancer research organization which Beattie has previously partnered with. As her community partner, Pink Ribbon Good was also presented with an initial $5,000 during a halftime celebration at Bay FC’s October 19 home match and an additional $5,000 as a result of her Fan Vote win. Her donations as a result of this award nomination and win total $40,000 for Pink Ribbon Good and $5,000 for Cancer Research UK.
“Jen couldn’t be more deserving of the Lauren Holiday Impact Award. Her incredible character shines through in the way she uses her experience with breast cancer to support those currently in the fight for their lives,” says Heather Salazar, President & CEO of Pink Ribbon Good. “The generous donation will provide 1,500 healthy meals and 1,000 rides to treatment for brave fighters in the Bay Area.”
Beattie has used her platform to create breast cancer and early detection awareness by:
- Partnering with Bay Area non-profit Pink Ribbon Good.
- Leading Walk and Talks with Pink Ribbon Good patients and survivors across the Bay Area.
- Participating in meditation and mindfulness sessions at Bay FC training with Pink Ribbon Good group members.
- Keynoting Pink Ribbon Good’s 4th Annual Ignite the Fight fundraising gala in August.
- Sharing her story with teammates and providing an afternoon of awareness for the group with Bay FC’s Front-of-Kit Partner and Official Healthcare Provider Sutter Health along with a tour of the Sutter Alta Bates Summit Medical Center’s Mobile Mammography Vehicle (MMV).
- Participating in an ongoing youth reporter series presented by Sutter Health with aspiring local reporters to discuss an array of topics including girls’ health, early detection, and body positivity.
- Wearing pink boots during select matches to raise awareness, participated as an ambassador for Scottish Power, renewable energy company raising over £40m for Cancer Research UK, and was an academy ambassador for her previous club, Arsenal FC before coming to the Bay Area.
Bay FC and Nationwide celebrated Beattie’s nomination at the Fan Appreciation Night match on October 19 with:
- Merchandise discounts of 20% for Season Ticket Members with proof of having voted or voting on-site, and a 10% discount for non-Season Ticket Members.
- Lauren Holiday Impact Award nominee poster giveaway featuring Beattie’s nomination at the Spirit Station in the FanFest Area.
- Custom warm-up T-shirts worn by Bay FC players pre-match honoring Beattie’s community involvement efforts.
- Halftime celebration honoring Beattie and the club’s partnership with Pink Ribbon Good, where an initial $5,000 in donations were granted.
Beattie and the additional 13 player nominees will be honored for the remainder of Championship Week celebrations by the NWSL and Nationwide as well as during halftime of the NWSL Championship.
Newly reformatted to shine a greater light on players who are making a difference in their communities, the Lauren Holiday Impact Award honors the ongoing example of excellence and commitment set by the two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, and recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian ESPY Award.
The winner of the Lauren Holiday Impact Award was decided by a voting panel that included representation from the NWSL, NWSLPA, Nationwide, Lauren Holiday and a member of the media. For more information on Jen Beattie, Pink Ribbon Good, and the Lauren Holiday Impact Award, click here.
Season tickets for Bay FC’s 2025 season at PayPal Park in San Jose are now available for purchase at bayfc.com. Fans can also follow @wearebayfc on social channels for more exciting announcements to come.
About Bay Football Club
Bay Football Club (Bay FC) is the professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area and the 14th team to join the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Bay FC was established in April 2023 and co-founded by USWNT legends Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, Danielle Slaton, and Aly Wagner in partnership with global investment firm Sixth Street and an investor group of leading tech, business and sports executives. Sixth Street’s investment is the largest institutional investment to date in a women’s professional sports franchise. Bay FC is changing the face of women’s soccer as we know it. Beginning play in the 2024 season, we are building a squad that will play the beautiful game with power, passion, energy, and creativity. Tickets are now on sale for Bay FC at https://bayfc.com and fans can follow Bay FC’s social channels (@wearebayfc) for the latest news, merchandise, and events.
