As a kicker in the NFL for 15 years, and in his third season with the Seahawks, coping with the unexpected has become his norm. Seven years ago, however, Mare encountered a situation that he couldn’t just shrug off and then kick aside: His mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Just the word cancer hurts everybody,” Mare said. “It can be any kind. And I think people who have had someone close to them involved in it could understand that.”
Beda Lyon is a survivor. She has been cancer free for the past five years. But Mare and his wife, Sandy, remain active in helping others deal with similar situations. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the NFL is doing its part. Players have been wearing splashes of pink on their uniforms all month – shoes, gloves, chinstraps, towels, skullcaps under their helmets, sideline hats, even the captains’ patches on the jerseys of
“Beda is great now,” Mare said. “And that’s great. She’s doing really well; and thank God for all of us – in the family and all her friends.”
So great, that Beda Lyon is planning a trip visit her daughter, son-in-law and their kids – sons Hayden, Landon and Rylan; and daughter Kayla – next month.
“We’ll keep her busy,” said Mare, who then smiled before adding, “And it is work. We’re just happy that she’s with us and doing well.”
The “Think Pink” campaign makes its only appearance at Qwest Field today, when the Seahawks host the Arizona Cardinals in a battle of the co-leaders in the NFC West. But those battling cancer also will be on the players’ minds.
“Obviously, everything dealing with cancer is difficult,” Mare said. “But to see the hurt on my wife, to me, was more difficult because it all trickles down. I didn’t understand as much, and obviously a mother and daughter are so close. So I would get the effects through her.
“You can see the toll it takes on the women. With the technology and the doctors and the studies they have now, to get testing done early and prevent it or help with it, it’s got to be helping. Because when you look at the number of women who have it, or have had it, it’s pretty serious.”
It is difficult to find anyone who has not been touched by cancer. Even before his mother-in-law was diagnosed, Mare had a cousin who died from the throat cancer 15 years ago. Punter
“It’s always been something where if I can do anything to help, we would try to get involved,” Mare said. “I didn’t know Jon at the time, but we’ve talked about it before. His dad passing obviously is a lot deeper than what we went through.
“But a lot of people have their own stories and way of going about how to help increase awareness to do something about.”
Mare and his wife have been involved in cancer awareness programs for years, but more behind the scenes. When the Seahawks approached him about being a spokesman for the month-long breast cancer campaign he figured it was a way to use his status as a professional athlete to spread the message. Mare is featured in a public service announcement on behalf of the Komen for the Cure that will be shown in the stadium today and also on Seahawks.com.
“I guess now it’s just more pubic, to do something to hit a different group of people than going to the charity events or donating money and people don’t know who you are,” he said. “So maybe this way, by speaking out about it, maybe it will help more.”
It doesn’t, however, make it an easy. Mare is a private person who just happens to perform on a very public stage for 20 days and nights every season. So talking about loved ones who have died from and survived cancer is difficult. His emotions threatened to get the best of him a couple of times during the interview for this story.
“Like I said, it’s not an easy thing to deal with.” He offered.
In a strange twist, Mare is not among the Seahawks who have been in the pink for their road games at St. Louis and Chicago, and also will be today.
“I don’t, because a lot of the stuff the guys are wearing is stuff that I don’t wear,” he said. “I don’t wear the gloves and the wristbands and the hats. And I don’t want to do it on my shoes, just because I’m so used to looking down and seeing the same thing.”
You don’t want to mess with success, even when you’re as successful as Mare – or perhaps because you’re as successful as Mare. He is riding a franchise-record streak of 25 consecutive field goals, and has made 81 percent of his three-pointers (307 of 377) while scoring 1,338 points in a career that has spanned 205 games and also included an extended run with the Miami Dolphins (1997-2006) and a short stint with the New Orleans Saints (2007).
So who better to serve as spokesman for a kick-cancer campaign?
