Bowl for the Cure Week celebrates five years at Women’s Championships
July 01, 2025
LAS VEGAS – Bowl for the Cure Week at the United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships celebrated its fifth edition earlier in June at the South Point Bowling Plaza, giving survivors a voice to showcase and compete, while also bringing attention to the fight for breast cancer awareness.
Throughout the week, many special events took place to spread awareness and educate those in attendance. Some of the events included donations (Bowl for the Cure Week raised $3,200 in 2025), scavenger hunts, stories, photo opportunities and more.
If you would like to get involved with Bowl for the Cure or donate, please visit BOWL.com/BFTC.
During the week, bowlers were able to share their stories with one another on their fight against breast cancer and show how bowling has become an outlet for them.
Sharon Love
Sharon Love of Midlothian, Texas, was one of the bowlers who shared her journey while competing during the week at the USBC Women’s Championships.
The beginning of Love’s journey didn’t start from when she first found out, but from seeing it through the perspective of her mother and grandmother.
“I am a 17-year breast cancer survivor,” Love said. “My mother had it back in the 1970s, and her mother had it back in the 1980s. It was bound to happen that my sister or I would be bound to draw the lucky straw, and I drew the straw.”
Having the knowledge from her mother’s and grandmother’s experience gave Love plenty of perspective on breast cancer.
“It’s kind of like I knew it from the backside from helping my mom, but the difference from when she had it, versus when I had it in 2008, is completely different,” Love said. “I went on and did full radiation and four rounds of chemo, because all my mother had was radiation.”
Being a 17-year survivor and still bowling with her team – It’s Our Excuse – means a lot to her every time she comes to the tournament. Bowl for the Cure Week is special for her because of the awareness it shows toward breast cancer.
“I’ve been bowling with a part of this group for a while, but Holly Ginn and I have been bowling together since 1981, and this is now my family if you will,” Love said. “As for Bowl for the Cure, it’s very tender to me because it’s a way for me to give back.”
Love shared some advice – find ways to keep your spirit up by finding what brings you joy.
“I was told by a dear friend to go buy the funniest books you can and watch funny programs on television, because things that are funny keep your spirits up,” Love said. “This can be evil to you, if you let it get to your head.”
The advice doesn’t stop there, as Love shares that in addition to motivation, there’s another half of it, which is having your faith and communication.
“If you’re going through chemo, go in with faith, learn everything you can and reach out to people – don’t feel embarrassed to ask,” Love said. “A lot of us are willing to help if you have a question.”
Love has a passion for her story on fighting breast cancer and having Bowl for the Cure serve as her microphone to share with others. Love shares a final impactful message as she finished the tournament in 2025, which is to, “Keep it up.”
Love is just one of many impactful individuals sharing stories to raise awareness.
Emma “Jackie” Mattox
Emma “Jackie” Mattox of Bristow, Oklahoma, made her 13th appearance at the Women’s Championships during Bowl for the Cure Week.
She’s done something more impressive, however, by being in remission from breast cancer for over 14 years.
Mattox’s real name is Emma, but she has gone by Jackie since she was a child. Her father’s name was Albert Terrell, but they always called him Jack. From the time she was born, her parents, family and friends solely called her Jackie. Mattox’s middle name is Jacqueline, and the nickname Jackie has stuck ever since.
She was diagnosed in February of 2011 with breast cancer. She had a lot of support from her husband, Richard, her family and friends throughout her cancer diagnosis.
“They (the doctors) told me I had breast cancer,” Mattox said. “Although, the doctors said it was all contained. They told me they were going to go in there and get it all taken care of.”
Mattox’s friend, Connie, even made her a beautiful quilt, which caused her to cry tears of joy. She said it was very helpful throughout the years, and it’s been great that she’s had people to lean on.
“When my doctor said I was diagnosed with it, she said you’re not going to die – you’re going to be fine,” Mattox said.
Mattox went in for surgery on April 8, 2011, and they performed reconstruction and took everything cancerous out. They took one lymph node, so she was glad for the good news on that. She never had to go through any chemotherapy, and she said that was a blessing.
“I was very lucky, although I did end up with an infection when they were doing the reconstruction surgery on me,” Mattox said. “I had to take some medicine to cure the infection. Besides that, there weren’t any other hassles.”
Mattox has been supporting Bowl for the Cure for years now.
“It’s very important to me,” Mattox said. “Bowl for the Cure is a great organization that does a lot for breast cancer awareness. I have been involved with Susan G. Komen and their team for the last 14 years now.”
She was one of the volunteers for the organization and helped them with some of their book working for some time. She’s retired from that now but still goes to organizational activities and events.
Mattox has been very blessed in her life, she says. She said she cried and was very sad when she was diagnosed at first, but she eventually got to the point where she was content and knew she would beat this disease.
“I feel very lucky,” Mattox said. “No. 1, I know I had cancer, but I also know that I was very fortunate that they were able to get it all. My heart hurts for women who must fight this disease for years and must go back and get chemotherapy and radiation lots of times.”
She’s loved bowling in the Women’s Championships over these years and likes spreading the joy around with her teammates and the other bowlers on the lanes.
“Once you become a member of this tournament, it’s like a second family to you,” Mattox said. “I feel a close unity with these ladies. We laugh, we hug and we support each other throughout it all. You want to try and make people feel better.”
Bowl for the Cure Week will be back in 2026 at the Women’s Championships and is scheduled to take place from June 15-21. The 2026 event will return to Las Vegas and the South Point Bowling Plaza for the second consecutive year. Register for the 2026 Women's Championships here.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women’s Championships page.
Throughout the week, many special events took place to spread awareness and educate those in attendance. Some of the events included donations (Bowl for the Cure Week raised $3,200 in 2025), scavenger hunts, stories, photo opportunities and more.
If you would like to get involved with Bowl for the Cure or donate, please visit BOWL.com/BFTC.
During the week, bowlers were able to share their stories with one another on their fight against breast cancer and show how bowling has become an outlet for them.
Sharon Love
Sharon Love of Midlothian, Texas, was one of the bowlers who shared her journey while competing during the week at the USBC Women’s Championships.
The beginning of Love’s journey didn’t start from when she first found out, but from seeing it through the perspective of her mother and grandmother.
“I am a 17-year breast cancer survivor,” Love said. “My mother had it back in the 1970s, and her mother had it back in the 1980s. It was bound to happen that my sister or I would be bound to draw the lucky straw, and I drew the straw.”
Having the knowledge from her mother’s and grandmother’s experience gave Love plenty of perspective on breast cancer.
“It’s kind of like I knew it from the backside from helping my mom, but the difference from when she had it, versus when I had it in 2008, is completely different,” Love said. “I went on and did full radiation and four rounds of chemo, because all my mother had was radiation.”Being a 17-year survivor and still bowling with her team – It’s Our Excuse – means a lot to her every time she comes to the tournament. Bowl for the Cure Week is special for her because of the awareness it shows toward breast cancer.
“I’ve been bowling with a part of this group for a while, but Holly Ginn and I have been bowling together since 1981, and this is now my family if you will,” Love said. “As for Bowl for the Cure, it’s very tender to me because it’s a way for me to give back.”
Love shared some advice – find ways to keep your spirit up by finding what brings you joy.
“I was told by a dear friend to go buy the funniest books you can and watch funny programs on television, because things that are funny keep your spirits up,” Love said. “This can be evil to you, if you let it get to your head.”
The advice doesn’t stop there, as Love shares that in addition to motivation, there’s another half of it, which is having your faith and communication.
“If you’re going through chemo, go in with faith, learn everything you can and reach out to people – don’t feel embarrassed to ask,” Love said. “A lot of us are willing to help if you have a question.”
Love has a passion for her story on fighting breast cancer and having Bowl for the Cure serve as her microphone to share with others. Love shares a final impactful message as she finished the tournament in 2025, which is to, “Keep it up.”
Love is just one of many impactful individuals sharing stories to raise awareness.
Emma “Jackie” Mattox
Emma “Jackie” Mattox of Bristow, Oklahoma, made her 13th appearance at the Women’s Championships during Bowl for the Cure Week.
She’s done something more impressive, however, by being in remission from breast cancer for over 14 years.
Mattox’s real name is Emma, but she has gone by Jackie since she was a child. Her father’s name was Albert Terrell, but they always called him Jack. From the time she was born, her parents, family and friends solely called her Jackie. Mattox’s middle name is Jacqueline, and the nickname Jackie has stuck ever since.
She was diagnosed in February of 2011 with breast cancer. She had a lot of support from her husband, Richard, her family and friends throughout her cancer diagnosis.
“They (the doctors) told me I had breast cancer,” Mattox said. “Although, the doctors said it was all contained. They told me they were going to go in there and get it all taken care of.”Mattox’s friend, Connie, even made her a beautiful quilt, which caused her to cry tears of joy. She said it was very helpful throughout the years, and it’s been great that she’s had people to lean on.
“When my doctor said I was diagnosed with it, she said you’re not going to die – you’re going to be fine,” Mattox said.
Mattox went in for surgery on April 8, 2011, and they performed reconstruction and took everything cancerous out. They took one lymph node, so she was glad for the good news on that. She never had to go through any chemotherapy, and she said that was a blessing.
“I was very lucky, although I did end up with an infection when they were doing the reconstruction surgery on me,” Mattox said. “I had to take some medicine to cure the infection. Besides that, there weren’t any other hassles.”
Mattox has been supporting Bowl for the Cure for years now.
“It’s very important to me,” Mattox said. “Bowl for the Cure is a great organization that does a lot for breast cancer awareness. I have been involved with Susan G. Komen and their team for the last 14 years now.”
She was one of the volunteers for the organization and helped them with some of their book working for some time. She’s retired from that now but still goes to organizational activities and events.
Mattox has been very blessed in her life, she says. She said she cried and was very sad when she was diagnosed at first, but she eventually got to the point where she was content and knew she would beat this disease.
“I feel very lucky,” Mattox said. “No. 1, I know I had cancer, but I also know that I was very fortunate that they were able to get it all. My heart hurts for women who must fight this disease for years and must go back and get chemotherapy and radiation lots of times.”
She’s loved bowling in the Women’s Championships over these years and likes spreading the joy around with her teammates and the other bowlers on the lanes.
“Once you become a member of this tournament, it’s like a second family to you,” Mattox said. “I feel a close unity with these ladies. We laugh, we hug and we support each other throughout it all. You want to try and make people feel better.”
Bowl for the Cure Week will be back in 2026 at the Women’s Championships and is scheduled to take place from June 15-21. The 2026 event will return to Las Vegas and the South Point Bowling Plaza for the second consecutive year. Register for the 2026 Women's Championships here.
Visit us on Facebook at the official USBC Women’s Championships page.