"My hope is one day we can have less [breast cancer] diagnoses, and rather have resources and tools to help people so that it's maybe not as scary when they have to go through treatment," Jamie Lalor, Mount Royal University Cougars' women's basketball guard said.
 
Lalor and her squad are gearing up for the January 28 Shoot for the Cure game at Kenyon Court against the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves. Despite the matchup holding importance in the Canada West standings, the game will hold a much deeper significance.
 
Saturday's game will be a part of the annual Shoot for the Cure initiative. The campaign is the nationwide U SPORTS women's basketball breast cancer fundraising initiative to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. Since its launch in 2007, over $1.75 million in donations has been raised across all 48 U SPORTS women's basketball programs.
 
"I think it's a big thing to be raising awareness," Lalor said. "Also raising money to help support the individuals that are going through it and then hopefully preventing it as well."
 
Lalor, the captain of her team, is choosing to go above and beyond for this cause and will be cutting off 12 inches of her long red hair to donate to Wigs for Kids. The program is a charity that make wigs for young children that suffer from hair loss.
 
"Thinking of chopping off 12 inches of my hair was little bit scary at first," Lalor said. "But just knowing that maybe I can make a kid's day by like giving them some long red locks, I think that's super sweet."

Lalor's coach, Robyn Fleckenstein holds high praise for the selfless act that her captain is taking.
 
"She's a pretty selfless and special human," Fleckenstein remarked. "I don't know that at 20 years old I was doing things how she does them. It's impressive to me to see that level of maturity is very high."
 
Lalor will have her hair cut off during the halftime of the men's game on Saturday. Fans in attendance of the games will have an opportunity to win prizes including a special Shoot for the Cure basketball, signed by the entire women's basketball team. Tickets to the games are available here and donations can be given to the Cougars' Shoot for a Cure page here.