Bowl for the Cure Week celebrated at 2026 USBC Women’s Championships
July 01, 2026
LAS VEGAS – The 2026 edition of Bowl for the Cure Week at the United States Bowling Congress Women’s Championships took place from June 15-21 in Las Vegas, bringing together those impacted by breast cancer for the opportunity to share, learn and build the community.
Celebrating its sixth year at the USBC Women’s Championships, the week featured a Bowl for the Cure Scavenger Hunt inside of the South Point Bowling Plaza, the annual Approach of Hope to recognize survivors and those currently fighting the disease, and the chance to meet with representatives from Bowl for the Cure to learn more about the cause.
The longstanding partnership between Susan G. Komen® and Bowl for the Cure – which is sponsored by USBC and serves as a year-round fundraising breast cancer awareness initiative that helps support research, financial assistance and patient advocacy – celebrated its 26th year in 2026.
Since its inception, Bowl for the Cure has raised more than $14.5 million to support the mission to save lives by meeting the most critical needs in the community and investing in breakthrough research to prevent and cure breast cancer.
Charmaine Cole
Charmaine Cole of Santa Rosa, California, made her fourth appearance at the Women’s Championships during the week, and she’s truly an inspiration.
She has been diagnosed twice with cancer. She was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer over 14 years ago. In 2025, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“My diagnosis was on a routine checkup,” Cole said. “They found a very small, small lump. We went in and did an ultrasound. It was in the very early stages, so it wasn’t progressive at all. I am very blessed and was one of the lucky ones that did not have to do both chemo and radiation. I only had to do the radiation treatments. Luckily, I didn’t have any bad side effects to the radiation treatments.”
Cole started to get mammogram checkups because her mother, Theresa, had Stage 3C breast cancer.
“Once you know you have a parent or family member that’s been diagnosed with breast cancer, you automatically start setting up appointments,” Cole said. “You have got to be your No. 1 supporter and advocate when it comes to your health.
“My sister, Charisse, didn’t specifically have breast cancer like my mom and I. We’ve all had some form of cancer, though, and going through that hardship and struggle bonded us in a different way.”
Cole just keeps courageously fighting each day and reminds herself how blessed she is and knows people out there are going through tough times as well.
“All in all, getting cancer really builds your compassion for other people,” Cole said. “You don’t know what other people are going through, so that compassion and empathy play a big part of my story now.”
Her family and friends have been really helpful throughout her fight against cancer. They have created a great support system for her, especially her husband, Donald.
“My husband has been so supportive of me through this difficult uphill climb,” Cole said. “So, it’s good to know you have amazing people in your life that have your back. My family is always there for me to lean on and there to cheer me on. If anything ever reoccurs, I have plans already in place for that support to help me out again, if needed.”
She’s also leaned on her bowling group – the Southern Ladies – for support as well.
“I know they can help me if I’m ever down on myself or tired from the cancer,” Cole said. “I can call them anytime, and this is only my second year of bowling with them. It’s like a second family for me. Once this team meets people, you’re just engulfed with them and you exchange numbers and they check in on you. It’s a wonderful immediate bowling family and a great sisterhood of women. Several women have had breast cancer as well, so they have been a big help to me.”
Bowling has been a great blessing for Cole. It’s something she enjoys doing and hasn’t taken it for granted.
“It’s something I really love,” Cole said. “I bowl with these ladies a lot. I bowl with my husband. It’s been a big part of my life for so long that I never want to take it for granted. Every year, I look forward to this tournament and to pushing myself to get better each year.”
Cole still has her tough days, but she keeps on fighting daily.
“I just push through the pain every day,” Cole said. “Taking those steps, it’s going to hurt. But the first step is the hardest step. Once I get through that, I know I’ll get through today and tomorrow, and that’s all the motivation I need to keep myself going.”
Neashall Brown
Neashall Brown of Jacksonville, Arkansas, also shared her story while competing during Bowl for the Cure Week at the Women’s Championships.
Her story starts with a typical checkup. She was going to new doctor to get a mammogram, and the doctor noticed something unusual but wasn’t sure. Brown was sent to another doctor, who delivered the news that it was cancer.
“Back in 2016, I went to a new doctor for a normal checkup for a mammogram,” Brown said. “The doctor was a young man who said he saw something unusual but wasn’t too sure what it was, and that he needed to send me somewhere else to get more information. Then, I later found out it was cancer.
“It didn’t scare me for some reason, but I knew I had to do something about that. So, my sister came with me to talk to an oncologist and asked a lot of questions, because one of my sisters had cancer.”
When the time came, Brown did go through surgery for her cancer. She didn’t have to go through chemotherapy but did have radiation treatments.
Going through her journey with breast cancer, Brown had a loving support system of family and friends.
“In dealing with breast cancer, I did have a lot of support from family and friends, which was a blessing,” Brown said.
Brown rang the bell in November of 2017, and she still goes in for annual checkups.
“I’ve been cancer-free since 2017 – I rang the bell that November,” Brown said. “After that, I had to go back every six months, and for the last three years, it’s been once a year. Ringing that bell … it was like, wow. Everyone was cheering me on, and it was just a happy time.”
Coming back to bowling, Brown is thankful to be able to compete with support behind her during a special time of the tournament – Bowl for the Cure Week.
She’s proud to see the recognition at a national level with the tournament.
“Everyone is supportive and understands what you’re going through and still sticks with you,” Brown said. “It’s been nice to see this both at a local level and at nationals.”
Brown had some words of advice for anyone going through breast cancer at any level – go to your checkups, have a support system and think positive.
“The first thing is that you should go before the recommended time to see if you have cancer and whether it’s negative or not,” Brown said. “If they find out, make sure you have a good support system and think positive. You really have to continue to think positive, have that faith and keep fighting.”
Wrapping up Brown’s encouraging story, she made her way to the tournament with her head held high and feels blessed to be here and able to bowl. Bowling is her moment to shine.
“It is just wonderful to be here still alive,” Brown said. “You’re still able to bowl and come back every year and see so many friends and wonderful people.”
Bowl for the Cure Week will be back at the Women’s Championships in 2027 and is scheduled to take place from June 14-20. The 2027 event will be held at New Victory Lanes in Mooresville, North Carolina.
For more information or to learn how to get involved with Bowl for the Cure, please visit BOWL.com/BFTC.
Celebrating its sixth year at the USBC Women’s Championships, the week featured a Bowl for the Cure Scavenger Hunt inside of the South Point Bowling Plaza, the annual Approach of Hope to recognize survivors and those currently fighting the disease, and the chance to meet with representatives from Bowl for the Cure to learn more about the cause.
The longstanding partnership between Susan G. Komen® and Bowl for the Cure – which is sponsored by USBC and serves as a year-round fundraising breast cancer awareness initiative that helps support research, financial assistance and patient advocacy – celebrated its 26th year in 2026.
Since its inception, Bowl for the Cure has raised more than $14.5 million to support the mission to save lives by meeting the most critical needs in the community and investing in breakthrough research to prevent and cure breast cancer.
Charmaine Cole
Charmaine Cole of Santa Rosa, California, made her fourth appearance at the Women’s Championships during the week, and she’s truly an inspiration.
She has been diagnosed twice with cancer. She was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer over 14 years ago. In 2025, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“My diagnosis was on a routine checkup,” Cole said. “They found a very small, small lump. We went in and did an ultrasound. It was in the very early stages, so it wasn’t progressive at all. I am very blessed and was one of the lucky ones that did not have to do both chemo and radiation. I only had to do the radiation treatments. Luckily, I didn’t have any bad side effects to the radiation treatments.”
Cole started to get mammogram checkups because her mother, Theresa, had Stage 3C breast cancer.
“Once you know you have a parent or family member that’s been diagnosed with breast cancer, you automatically start setting up appointments,” Cole said. “You have got to be your No. 1 supporter and advocate when it comes to your health.
“My sister, Charisse, didn’t specifically have breast cancer like my mom and I. We’ve all had some form of cancer, though, and going through that hardship and struggle bonded us in a different way.”
Cole just keeps courageously fighting each day and reminds herself how blessed she is and knows people out there are going through tough times as well.
“All in all, getting cancer really builds your compassion for other people,” Cole said. “You don’t know what other people are going through, so that compassion and empathy play a big part of my story now.”
Her family and friends have been really helpful throughout her fight against cancer. They have created a great support system for her, especially her husband, Donald.
“My husband has been so supportive of me through this difficult uphill climb,” Cole said. “So, it’s good to know you have amazing people in your life that have your back. My family is always there for me to lean on and there to cheer me on. If anything ever reoccurs, I have plans already in place for that support to help me out again, if needed.”
She’s also leaned on her bowling group – the Southern Ladies – for support as well.
“I know they can help me if I’m ever down on myself or tired from the cancer,” Cole said. “I can call them anytime, and this is only my second year of bowling with them. It’s like a second family for me. Once this team meets people, you’re just engulfed with them and you exchange numbers and they check in on you. It’s a wonderful immediate bowling family and a great sisterhood of women. Several women have had breast cancer as well, so they have been a big help to me.”
Bowling has been a great blessing for Cole. It’s something she enjoys doing and hasn’t taken it for granted.
“It’s something I really love,” Cole said. “I bowl with these ladies a lot. I bowl with my husband. It’s been a big part of my life for so long that I never want to take it for granted. Every year, I look forward to this tournament and to pushing myself to get better each year.”
Cole still has her tough days, but she keeps on fighting daily.
“I just push through the pain every day,” Cole said. “Taking those steps, it’s going to hurt. But the first step is the hardest step. Once I get through that, I know I’ll get through today and tomorrow, and that’s all the motivation I need to keep myself going.”
Neashall Brown
Neashall Brown of Jacksonville, Arkansas, also shared her story while competing during Bowl for the Cure Week at the Women’s Championships.
Her story starts with a typical checkup. She was going to new doctor to get a mammogram, and the doctor noticed something unusual but wasn’t sure. Brown was sent to another doctor, who delivered the news that it was cancer.
“Back in 2016, I went to a new doctor for a normal checkup for a mammogram,” Brown said. “The doctor was a young man who said he saw something unusual but wasn’t too sure what it was, and that he needed to send me somewhere else to get more information. Then, I later found out it was cancer.
“It didn’t scare me for some reason, but I knew I had to do something about that. So, my sister came with me to talk to an oncologist and asked a lot of questions, because one of my sisters had cancer.”
When the time came, Brown did go through surgery for her cancer. She didn’t have to go through chemotherapy but did have radiation treatments.
Going through her journey with breast cancer, Brown had a loving support system of family and friends.
“In dealing with breast cancer, I did have a lot of support from family and friends, which was a blessing,” Brown said.
Brown rang the bell in November of 2017, and she still goes in for annual checkups.
“I’ve been cancer-free since 2017 – I rang the bell that November,” Brown said. “After that, I had to go back every six months, and for the last three years, it’s been once a year. Ringing that bell … it was like, wow. Everyone was cheering me on, and it was just a happy time.”
Coming back to bowling, Brown is thankful to be able to compete with support behind her during a special time of the tournament – Bowl for the Cure Week.
She’s proud to see the recognition at a national level with the tournament.
“Everyone is supportive and understands what you’re going through and still sticks with you,” Brown said. “It’s been nice to see this both at a local level and at nationals.”
Brown had some words of advice for anyone going through breast cancer at any level – go to your checkups, have a support system and think positive.
“The first thing is that you should go before the recommended time to see if you have cancer and whether it’s negative or not,” Brown said. “If they find out, make sure you have a good support system and think positive. You really have to continue to think positive, have that faith and keep fighting.”
Wrapping up Brown’s encouraging story, she made her way to the tournament with her head held high and feels blessed to be here and able to bowl. Bowling is her moment to shine.
“It is just wonderful to be here still alive,” Brown said. “You’re still able to bowl and come back every year and see so many friends and wonderful people.”
Bowl for the Cure Week will be back at the Women’s Championships in 2027 and is scheduled to take place from June 14-20. The 2027 event will be held at New Victory Lanes in Mooresville, North Carolina.
For more information or to learn how to get involved with Bowl for the Cure, please visit BOWL.com/BFTC.