14 DAY TRIAL // A message written in the sky spotted in Michigan before the Michigan State University – Youngstown State game has unwittingly prompted a campaign to help cancer survivors.
The skywriting was commissioned by a University of Michigan fan, and one MSU alum thought that it was a waste of money.
Scott Westerman's wife has long battled ovarian cancer. He believes that the thousand of dollars paid for rivalry over sports would come in handy for a foundation helping cancer patients.
He launched a campaign for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, benefiting from the free advertising created by the skywriting stunt. He asked people to donate money to the Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance, and 360 donors stepped up.
“Our PayPal account froze up; it couldn’t keep up with the donations,” Michelle Shepherd of the Michigan Ovarian Cancer Alliance tells the Detroit Free Press. Shephard works as a secretary on the board of directors.
The money that has been raised will be used to promote awareness about cancer and offer support to survivors.
[Update, September 20, 2013]: The title of this news blog has been corrected to reflect the lack of University of Michigan involvement in the project.