The nav bar is pink and the logo features a pink ribbon. Why the change? It’s not permanent, but there is certainly a good and noble reason.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Midwest Sports Fans is following the lead of the NFL in promoting and supporting the world’s fight against breast cancer.

Throughout the month of October, we are accepting donations in support of breast cancer awareness and research, with all of the donations going directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Use the button below to donate securely through PayPal.

There is a very good chance that every person who visits this site has had or will have their lives affected by breast cancer, which is the second most common form of cancer afflicting women.

Here is more background from the official website for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States, aside from skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women in the United States this year. An estimated 40,170 women are expected to die from the disease in 2009 alone. Today, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States.

I know that the many of the eyes reading this post belong to men. Guys, while the women in our lives are more at risk for contracting breast cancer than we are, the disease does also afflict men:

Breast cancer occurs primarily in women, but men can also develop breast cancer. Although men have less breast tissue than women, they do have breast cells that can undergo cancerous changes. Male breast cancer makes up less than 1 percent of all cases of breast cancer, and is usually detected in men between 60 and 70 years of age.

The NFL is taking a major step this weekend in showing its support of breast cancer awareness by encouraging players and coaches to wear pink. When you settle into your recliners or bar stools this weekend to take in your usual Sunday docket of games, you will notice pink gloves, pink cleats, pink wristbands, pink towels, and other pink items everywhere you look.

Even fans are being asked to get into the act, with the NFL encouraging them to wave pink rally towels during the Sunday and Monday night games.

The NFL’s actions follow in the footsteps of Major League Baseball, which encouraged its players to use pink bats and wear pink wristbands on Mother’s Day.

I figured the least we could do here at Midwest Sports Fans is add one more voice projecting awareness for this most worthy of causes. So you will see the new logo, pink nav bar, and this post in the headline section for at least this entire weekend (and probably longer).

My hope is that everyone who comes here looking for Midwest sports and fantasy football news will be inspired to check out some of the resources I’ve linked to below.

We are all in this fight together, but together we can help push towards a cure.

What can you do to help? I’m glad you asked:

• Forward this post to a friend or family member to help spread awareness.
• Participate in the NFL’s “Crucial Catch” Auction this weekend and help support breast cancer prevention and treatment research through the American Cancer Society.
• Donate to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which is helping to lead the charge toward a cure.
• Learn more about breast cancer and the steps you or your loved ones need to take to stay ahead of the disease.
• Eat chocolate! Seriously. And save a little money doing it. Spread hope with MY M&M’S Promise Blend benefiting Susan G. Komen. Get 12% OFF!

Readers, please use the comment section to link to additional resources that promote breast cancer awareness and that will further educate other visitors to this post. 

The Bengals’ Chad Ochocinco already has something extra special planned for this weekend. How about you?

Let’s all join the MLB, the NFL, and the millions of other people across the country taking time this month to support the fight against breast cancer.

Update: Kudos to our buddy Robert Littal at Black Sports Online who has joined what I hope will be a large group of sports blogs supporting breast cancer awareness. Those links are bright!

And be on the lookout for something special from America’s White Boy…might have to change the name to America’s Pink Boy this month, eh?

Update: And here is that something special from AWB. He is wearing a pink shirt for the entire month of October. In conjunction, he is accepting donations that will given to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. We helped him get things started with a donation from MSF.

Update: Our friends at Not Qualified to Comment prove that they are, in fact, qualified to comment by taking up the cause and decking their site out in pink.  Well done Stormin’ Norman!

Update: College Game Balls has joined the cause as well.

Update: Sports Crackle Pop steps up to the plate.

Update: Dallas Sports Fans goes pink.

Update: And Spewf.com too.