Georgia Force indoor arena football player and kicker, Carlos Martinez, recently experienced the devastating impact that ovarian cancer can have on men and women alike, when he recently had an extended family member diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. However, Martinez refused to sit idly by without embracing the opportunity to promote awareness and raise money for desperately needed research on ovarian cancer. To that end, Martinez will officially ‘kick off’ a new fundraising initiative “Carlos Martinez ‘Kicking for the Cure’ Fund, at the Georgia Force season opener on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at the Gwinnett Arena.

Proceeds for the fund will directly benefit Georgia’s own Ovarian Cancer Institute (OCI) (www.ovariancancerinstitute.org), a non-profit research laboratory located on the campus at Georgia Tech. The Institute’s primary mission is to create awareness of this disease and develop a reliable early diagnostic tool to test for ovarian cancer often referred to as the ‘silent killer.’

Starting with this season opener on March 1, 2008, the Carlos Martinez ‘Kicking for the Cure’ Fund, will run through June 21, 2008. During the 2008 Georgia Force season, Martinez will personally make a $25 donation to OCI for every field goal he successfully makes and a $10 donation for every extra point -- in honor of his friend who is battling ovarian cancer. “I am very passionate about this cause and I am willing to do whatever it takes to make people more aware of the devastating effects of ovarian cancer,” explained Martinez.

Here’s how ‘Kicking for the Cure’ works. After each kick Martinez makes during Georgia Force football games, a display will be broadcast in the arena that provides a running total of how much money has been donated as a result of his kicking success. Georgia Force fans also will have an opportunity to participate and donate by making pledges as to how much they are willing to donate per field goal and extra point made by Martinez. Corporate sponsors and corporate donations also are encouraged.

At the end of the 2008 season, Martinez will present the Ovarian Cancer Institute with a check representing the combination of generous donations from sponsors, fans and Martinez’ personal donation. In addition to Martinez’ donation, Georgia Force Arena Football team owner, Arthur Blank, has pledged to double this amount via his matching gift program.

“To have a fine athlete such as Carlos Martinez embrace the importance of our research efforts at the Ovarian Cancer Institute speaks volumes to my colleagues and Benedict Benigno, MD, our medical director and founder. We are grateful for his enthusiasm in helping us create awareness and assisting us in raising funds that are critical for continued research,” said John McDonald, PhD, Chief Research Scientist at the Ovarian Cancer Institute. “Ovarian cancer affects everyone – not just the victim – and Martinez’ fundraising mission makes a bold statement that it’s not just a women’s disease. It affects all of us,” he continued.

To learn more about Martinez’ motivation for raising awareness for ovarian cancer, all are invited to visit www.drurysfightcancer.blogspot.com. For more information about the Ovarian Cancer Institute or to make an online donation, please visit www.ovariancancerinstitute.org. To learn more about arena football and the Georgia Force, visit www.georgiaforce.com and www.arenafootball.com.

About the Ovarian Cancer Institute
The Ovarian Cancer Institute (OCI) was established in 1999 as a 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding an early diagnostic test for ovarian cancer, understanding the molecular basis of ovarian cancer and the cause of chemotherapy resistance, leading to the development of more effective therapies for the disease. The Institute’s mission is to develop innovative research leading to earlier detection and more effective treatment of the cancer; to provide educational opportunities for medical professionals; and to educate women with respect to the early symptoms of ovarian cancer and to empower them to seek appropriate care immediately. The OCI lab is located on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology in downtown Atlanta, GA. For more information, visit www.ovariancancerinstitute.org.