For the seventh consecutive year, The V Foundation for Cancer Research will join forces with the game officials of the National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the annual Blow the Whistle on Cancer! ® fundraiser. This charitable event will run in conjunction with ESPN's 2nd Annual Jimmy V Week from December 3rd-9th, a week of fundraising and awareness for The V Foundation and tributes for beloved coach and friend, Jim Valvano.

All 120 active officials in NFL Referees Association will donate a portion of their salary to The V Foundation in support of much needed cancer research, this year in honor of their colleague Bob Lawing's personal battle against cancer. League personnel, scouts and replay officials add their support and the NFL will match the donations generated by officials and full-time employees. This organization has contributed to Blow the Whistle on Cancer! since its inception, and has generated more than $150,000 for The V Foundation, funding two named research grants in the process.

"Once again, our staff has been touched by this dreadful disease," said NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira. "The time to ‘fight the fight' is over. It's time to ‘win the battle.' Our job is to make sure that a game is played fairly. Our obligation is to give every human being the chance to live a full life without facing cancer. We will continue to partner with The V Foundation and hope that other officiating organizations, no matter how big or small, join us."

The National Basketball Referees Association will also participate in Blow the Whistle on Cancer!, and this year rings particularly true to the cause. Official Ron Olesiak is back on the court after his own battle with cancer. As a group, The NBA Referees Association will contribute to a grant established by The V Foundation in Olesiak's honor. This research grant will be in the amount of $100,000 for two years awarded to Dr. Stephen B. Long, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The NBA matches the contribution of the officials during the Blow the Whistle on Cancer! campaign, which raises approximately $24,000 annually.

"Our officials are proud and honored to add their support to The V Foundation's fight against cancer," said NBA Senior Vice President, Referee Operations Ron Johnson. "With the grant established by The V Foundation in Ron Olesiak's honor, it really strikes home and brings to light the great work this organization does."

"Without the participation of these two groups, this event would not be possible," said V Foundation CEO Nick Valvano. "It is an inspiration to us all to watch these leagues band together for a cause that has touched us all. Each donation, no matter how great, brings us one step closer to victory against cancer."

The V Foundation for Cancer Research and the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) partnered in 2002 to encourage sports officials to "Blow the Whistle on Cancer!" Officials nationwide, in all sports and at every level - professional, college, high school and recreation leagues - are encouraged to join their colleagues in the NFL and the NBA by donating a stipend from one game to The V Foundation.

For additional information on this event, as well as other V Foundation events, visit www.jimmyv.org.