Des Moines Christian High swept Madrid High in three sets on Oct. 9 on Madrid’s home court. Christian’s varsity volleyball team celebrated as it scored 1 last point to secure the win, and despite the loss, Madrid celebrated, too. The sea of pink T-shirts on both sides of the gym cheered together. This was more than just a Tuesday night volleyball game; this was about raising awareness.

Each year, Madrid High hosts a breast-cancer-awareness volleyball match in October. This year, two seniors wanted to take the extra step and do more than just wear pink.

Madrid middle hitter Kyra Troendle and setter Hannah Henriksen planned a fundraiser to donate money to the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, but they only had two weeks to do it, Troendle said. Despite the time crunch, they joined with Christian’s team and raised more than $700, Henriksen said.

“I am really grateful to Madrid for doing that and reaching out,” Christian head coach Brian Spanhut said. “It’s a very cool thing. I know it takes a great deal of legwork to organize these things, and the fact that the kids were in on it speaks volumes.”

 Two weeks before the game, Troendle and Henriksen began bouncing ideas off one another to find ways to make a difference at the awareness game, Troendle said.

Henricksen came up with an idea to create a pink T-shirt that would cater not only to Madrid volleyball players but anyone who wished to support the cause. Henriksen contacted a Christian High player on social media and invited the team to be a part of the awareness game, not just be their adversary that night.

“Our goal was to make the biggest impact that we possibly could, whether it was making both teams filling the gym with pink or raising a significant money and donating that,” Troendle said. “We felt the issue of breast cancer is so much bigger than just one team participating. We figured they would want to be a part of something bigger, too.”

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The teams came together to sell T-shirts, charging $1 more per shirt than normal to donate to cancer research. Fans from Madrid and Christian filled the gym, joining in wearing pink, Spanhut said. For one night, it was not two opposing teams battling for a win, it was two opposing teams coming together for something bigger.

During the game, Madrid JV players filled the stands asking for donations from the crowd. That effort, Henriksen said, was the reason they were able to raise the sum they did. They chose to donate to Holden because they wanted to show support for a area organization that supports national needs, Troendle said.

The teams decided to donate the money to the Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program through Holden. That way, the teams helped those similar in age battling cancer, Troendle said.

The program supports youth with cancer through programs specifically catered to their age range, said Scott Hansen, the director of development for the Holden Center.

“We rely heavily on philanthropic support. Any types of donations people can provide are very beneficial,” Hansen said. “Funding only goes so far, so we rely on the great folks in Iowa and surrounding states to provide a great deal of support. It’s huge; it really makes a difference on what physicians and staff can provide back to cancer patients themselves and their families.”