Pink Up football game, jersey auction announced by Southeast Missouri State and Saint Francis Medical Center

Southeast Missouri State senior associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator Cindy Gannon submitted the first bid in the Pink Up Cape jersey auction when it officially opened Wednesday afternoon.

Her first bid of $300 on running back Brendan Stewart's No. 22 jersey will provide three free mammograms and is another way for her to honor her mom, who died from breast cancer in 2000. She chose 22 for her mom's birthday.

"I hope someone outbids me and I've got to go higher," Gannon said with a smile as she spoke at a press conference announcing a new initiative between the Southeast football team and Saint Francis Medical Center.

The Southeast football team will wear special pink jerseys that are up for auction during their Pink Up game on Oct. 31 against Tennessee Tech.

Southeast Missouri State head football coach Tom Matukewicz speaks during a joint press conference at Saint Francis Medical Center, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015. (Laura Simon)

Bidding began Wednesday on pinkupcape.com where people can select the jersey they'd like to bid on by number or by player with proceeds providing breast cancer screenings for people in the region that are unable to afford them.

"I think my mom would be so proud today if she knew how many lives because of St. Francis, because of people like Coach Tuke and everybody in this room that has a deep, deep desire to end breast cancer," Gannon said.

The auction ends on Oct. 12 and the winner of each jersey designates what name will go on the back of it. Any name can be put on the back, including the name of a survivor or in remembrance of someone that has died from the disease.

The Redhawks will wear these jerseys during the game and meet with the auction winners afterward to present them with it and take a picture with them.

"Most of the time you're obviously playing for Southeast, but you're also playing for your family's name," Southeast football coach Tom Matukewicz said. "Now you're trying to honor someone else with your play."

Minimum bids are $100, which covers one free breast cancer screening at Saint Francis, and there is also a "buy it now" option to bypass the bidding where the jersey can be purchased outright for $2,000.

In addition to the jersey each winner will also receive two replica T-shirts of the jersey, two game tickets and will be invited to a pregame tailgate.

According to Jimmy Wilferth, executive director of the Saint Francis Foundation, Pink Up has provided more than 2,500 mammograms at no cost since the initiative began in 2010. More than 400 free mammograms were provided last year.

Matukewicz unveiled the jerseys to his team Tuesday night.

"There was a lot of excitement with that, so I think the uniform came off well, but it's not about that," Matukewicz said. "Just because you wear a pink tie doesn't mean anything. Like, are you making a difference in someone's life? That's what it's about and that's why we're doing this."

Winners of each jersey in the auction will then be able to submit the story of the person that they're honoring with the jersey.

These stories will be printed on cards for the players to read in the locker room before putting on their jersey.

"We need everybody to jump on board on this thing and let's try to make a big-time difference," Matukewicz said. "Because I know these players, like you could be in the fourth quarter -- how could you be tired? Do you have any idea what cancer patients go through -- chemo and their whole lives getting wrecked. You have your health. You should always be positive, and the name on that back you're going to honor with your play."

Matukewicz said that he's never personally been affected by someone close to him having breast cancer, but has seen the toll the disease takes on families.

"Being a football coach you're also a lot of guys' father, and so I deal with it on a yearly basis, all the time," Matukewicz said, noting that offensive line coach Jon Wiemers' parents are both cancer survivors.

Matukewicz plans to share the stories of those close to the Southeast players and staff through videos over the next few months.

"I just really feel like that's important and so now their name is now come upon and I know if I lost a loved one because of cancer that would make me feel good," Matukewicz said.