Western & Southern Financial Group: Fighting Cancer … One Tackle, Strike Out & Kick at a Time

CINCINNATI, Ohio, Oct. 15 -- The Western and Southern Financial Group, a life insurance company, issued the following news release:

Improving the quality of medical care in Cincinnati - cancer care, in particular - is a longstanding focus of Western & Southern's philanthropy and community involvement. To that end, Western & Southern supports the fight against cancer with three sports-themed programs:

* Strike Out Cancer: Since 2001, Western & Southern has been making donations to the University of Cincinnati Barrett Cancer Center (Barrett Center) for every strike out Reds pitchers record at home games. As the longest running of the company's cancer-fighting sports partnerships, "Strike Out Cancer" has generated $360,000 in donations to the Barrett Center/UC Cancer Institute.

* Tackle Cancer: Since 2013, Western & Southern has been making donations to the Barrett Center for every tackle the University of Cincinnati Bearcats football team makes at home games. To date, donations have totaled $75,000.

* Kick Cancer: Since 2016, Western & Southern has been making donations to the Barrett Center for every goal the FC Cincinnati soccer team scores at home games. $60,000 has been donated so far.

The Barrett Center is a key part of the University of Cincinnati Cancer Institute, a partnership of the UC College of Medicine and UC Health. The top priority of the UC Cancer Institute is to make the most advanced care readily available to the people of the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area.

In addition to these programs, Western & Southern Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer John F. Barrett announced in 2015 a regional fundraising campaign to obtain a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Cincinnati, an imperative to ensure that truly world-class cancer care is available in our city. Western & Southern committed $10 million to the effort.