General | 10/23/2025 4:15:00 PM

Oberlin, Ohio – Every fall, the Oberlin College football team uses its bye week to reduce the devastation of a cancer diagnosis, teaming up with the Northeast Ohio community to make an impact.
 
This year, the team continues this tradition with their Nobody Fights Alone game on Saturday, October 25. Honoring the breast cancer battle of assistant coach Roseanna Smith, the team is fundraising for the Cleveland Clinic's Cancer Patient and Family Support Services Fund.
 
"Our program is built on the ethos of F.A.M.I.L.Y. (Forget About Me, I Love You), and our family is about showing up for each other when it matters most," said Head Coach John Pont. 
 
"Coach Ro has shown incredible strength, and our players have seen first-hand what real toughness and love look like. This fundraiser is a way for us to stand with her, and with every family battling, to remind them nobody fights alone."
 
Smith - or "Coach Ro" to the team - was diagnosed with invasive hormone negative, HER2 positive breast cancer after discovering a suspicious mass. She underwent chemotherapy during the spring, had surgery in July, and completed radiation in September.
 
"This last year has been one of the most difficult of my life, with my dad's cancer diagnosis and my own. I will never be able to say thank you enough for the love and encouragement from Coach Pont, our staff, players, families, and the entire Oberlin community," Smith said. "Fighting cancer is hard - physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially - and can be totally isolating. Nobody Fights Alone is a rallying cry for us to share the support I experienced through the generosity of our community and remember and celebrate everyone who has been in the fight." 
 
Two-thirds of the team has a friend or family member who has battled cancer.
 
"I am fundraising because a good family friend - Elaine McCune - was diagnosed with and ended up beating cancer," said junior Cameron Burke. "Seeing her go through that showed it is one of the hardest fights, and she was still able to put a smile on every day. I saw the same with Coach Ro. She was still able to show love and excitement despite the underlying pain and battles. It's not easy to fight, and they deserve any support we can give." 
 
Members of the team leading the charge are Cameron Burke, Ako Taylor II, Jacob Epps, and Lance Slone. The money raised by these four and the rest of the squad will directly help Cleveland-area cancer patients by providing access to emergency funds to pay for household expenses (electricity, groceries, rent/mortgages, etc.), as well as increased treatment-related costs such as gas for appointments and childcare. In addition to direct donations, a limited-edition shirt will be available for sale at the game.
 
With the Nobody Fights Alone campaign, Oberlin extends the generosity that began in 2021 with the Go4TheGoal initiative, which helped patients and families battling pediatric cancer. This year, the Crimson and Gold have raised nearly $30,000 in funds to support those battling breast cancer.
 
An early diagnosis of breast cancer with a best-case treatment scenario may exceed $1 million in medical expenses per individual, not including missed income from lost work because of side effects and appointments. Up to 44% uninsured women report delaying lifesaving mammograms and treatment due to cost.
 
Make sure Nobody Fights Alone and join the team in the stands when they host the Wittenberg Tigers on Saturday, October 25. The North Coast game is set to kick off at 2 p.m.
 
Keep up with the Crimson and Gold on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and watch every home game on the Oberlin Sports Network online or on Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV.