WMU football assistant Ed Pinkham has special place in heart for color pink, breast cancer awareness Western Michigan football defensive coordinator Ed Pinkham instructs safety Justin Currie during a practice at Waldo Stadium earlier this season. Pinkham said he is looking forward to Saturday's game against Ball State when the Broncos will wear pink logos on their helmets in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month as he has lost three sisters to breast cancer. (Steph Anderson Chambers | MLive.com) By David Drew | ddrew1@mlive.com Follow on Twitter on October 16, 2013 at 6:00 AM, updated October 16, 2013 at 6:12 AM                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Ed Pinkham KALAMAZOO, MI – This weekend will be a special one for Ed Pinkham. The Western Michigan University football team’s defensive coordinator will have a chance to show off his defense Saturday against a very good Ball State University offense, but when the Broncos take the field wearing pink logos on their helmets and other pink uniform accents in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month he will likely have a smile on his face. Pinkham, 60, has a special place in in his heart for breast cancer awareness as he has lost three of his nine sisters to breast cancer and another received a cancer diagnosis. "It’s not a pretty sight," Pinkham said of losing loved ones to cancer. "They’ve left behind kids and husbands. It’s one of those things where other families are similar to mine that (cancer) has touched." Pinkham’s family started the Pink SOCS (Sisters of Cancer Survivors) Foundation Inc. in 2008, which is a non-profit organization working to improve the lives of families in communities that have been affected by breast cancer and other forms of cancer. Pinkham said this month is “extremely” important to his family. “My own family, my sisters, my brother, my brothers-in-law have started the foundation and they’ve raised, Gold bless them, hundreds of thousands of dollars through golf outings and other events,” Pinkham said. “…My family, because of all my sisters, has been really involved. This month is the highlight.” WMU football pink helmet 2.JPGView full sizeThe Western Michigan football team will don pink logos on their helmets Saturday against Ball State in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.David Drew | MLive.com Pinkham’s daughter, Kelly, ran the Chicago Marathon Sunday to raise money for the foundation. Other family members will participate in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in New York City this weekend. The Pinkham family raises a large amount of money through an annual golf outing. “They’ve done a heck of a job,” Pinkham said with a smile about his family’s fundraising efforts. “They usually find families that have been affected and have lost loved ones and help them with medical expenses. They give scholarships each year to kids of parents that have died of breast cancer.” Pinkham proudly showed off his pink wristband after Tuesday’s practice at Waldo Stadium. He said he smiles whenever he sees pink clothing because of the potential to raise awareness and the memories it stirs up. “I’ve worn a pink wristband just to remember my sisters, but I think anytime you see awareness and someone wearing pink it will make me remember my sisters and family get-togethers,” he said. For more information about the Pink SOCS Foundation, or how to donate, visit www.pinksocs.org.