Pink Belt Tradition: raising awareness and funds for cancer research
How it started
About 15 years ago, long before Shihan Robinson's mother suspected lung cancer and long before American Cancer Society's regional leader Mr. Averitte asked our dojo to get involved, BEST Karate members were wearing pink belts during the month of October. The photo below was taken in October 2014.
Community Outreach
In 2023, Shihan Robinson officially became a Men Wear Pink ambassador and had his photo posted on the BIG screen at Crabtree Valley Mall. That year, our dojo also hosted a Pink Belt Fundraiser in Barwell Community Center in Raleigh where sport competitors competed for medals and large groups performed HeiAn Shodan and their kata of choice to raise funds for ACS.
Sensei Regina and Sensei Anna bravely dyed more than 200 pink belts at Sensei Regina's home and to our surprise, every competitor not only selected a pink belt, they wore their pink belts throughout the tournament!
See our delightful 90 second video about our first Pink Belt Fundraiser, shot and produced by Hollow Rock Media and posted on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guEe2e1jGTI
Cancer strikes closer to home
In early 2024, Shihan's mother passed away of cancer, and the partnership with ACS took on renewed meaning. Sensei J.J. became the ACS Men Wear Pink Ambassador and BESTKarate hosted a second tournament where we issued pink belts to each competitor. Young athletes from West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida joined our efforts to raise funds and awareness of cancer, services for families affected by cancer, and the important of screeening and prevention.
Weekend Training Camp 2025
In 2025, BESTKarate modified the fundraiser from a tournament to a karate skills camp in our dojo. For 3 days, Oct. 17-18-19, 2025, athletes of all ranks and ages trained with two invited female competitors, Sensei Gidea Pastorius from Las Vegas, Nevada, and Sensei Kaitlin Leslie from Cincinnati, Ohio. Sensei Tommy Hood, former NKF national coach, also guided elite level training and video analysis of two national championship fights. Pictured below is our presentation of a $1000 check to ACS.
Fast Forward to 2026
BESTKarate is excited to be part of the Making Strides against Breast Cancer Walk at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Our pink belted members will be part of the Kids Zone teaching simple and safe karate moves and promoting healthy exercise as part of the preventive measures against cancer of all forms. Find our booth on Blackwell Street as we operate six activity stations:
1. form a tight fist to strike against cancer.
2. identify parts of your foot and kick cancer
3. firm up your core with a plank contest against Sensei
4. Step up your fitness with ladder drills
5. karate rising block, esacpe the noodle
Spin the Prize wheel!.
More photos to come. If you are so inclined, donate any amount you can for a pink belt at the dojo. We've been wearing them with pride since Oct. 1.
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