Essendon Football Club will continue to play its part in the fight against cancer when it hosts the Club’s fifth annual Call to Arms match at Etihad Stadium this Friday night.

A yellow armband will be incorporated into Essendon’s guernseys during the Round 18 match against St Kilda which will be auctioned at essendonfc.com.aufollowing the game. A number of Essendon players will wear yellow Call to Arms adidas boots, while Essendon runner Adam Ramanauskas will also wear yellow adidas runners which will be signed and auctioned for the campaign.

Essendon Chief Executive Officer Ian Robson said the Club is proud to help raise awareness around a health issue affecting so much of the population.

“The reality is that 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer by the time they reach the age of 85 so this campaign is an important means to help raise funds and awareness,” Robson said.

“Cancer is something that touches the lives of people everywhere and it is a disease that so many people associated with Essendon Football Club have experienced first-hand through the courageous battle of our former player Adam Ramanauskas.

“We are extremely pleased as a football club to be able to make a contribution to such a significant campaign and we hope that all the supporters at the game on Friday night will get behind such an important awareness initiative.”

AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou commended Essendon Football Club for their involvement in the Call to Arms campaign and urged football clubs throughout Australia to hold a Call to Arms match and raise funds to fight cancer in men.

“Unfortunately statistics tell us a family member, friend or teammate will be affected by cancer during our lives. I urge all football supporters to get involved with the Call to Arms campaign to help raise funds and awareness,” Mr Demetriou said.

This Friday night’s blockbuster match marks the culmination of the annual Call to Arms campaign – a national cancer awareness campaign which invites players, administrators and supporters from all sporting codes and clubs across Australia to wear a yellow armband to raise funds to treat, prevent and detect cancers in men, as well as supporting those facing cancer.

In 2009, almost 9,000 teams and more than 180,000 sportspeople and supporters across Australia participated in Call to Arms.

Through its partnership with the Cancer Council over the past five years, Essendon Football Club has helped raise almost $2 million for the fight against cancer.

Cancer Council spokesperson Deb Stringer said Call to Arms is really gathering momentum.

“We are delighted that the sporting community continues to embrace this important campaign to fight cancer in men – a subject that must be kept in the spotlight,” Ms Stringer said.

To find out more about Call to Arms or to give online, visit calltoarms.com.au.