The San Francisco 49ers will join the National Football League, the NFL Players Association and the American Cancer Society for the 7th annual "A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives" campaigning support of October's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, reminding women 40 and older about the importance of having an annual mammogram.

The 49ers are kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month today, Wednesday, September 30th, by hosting friends, family and 49ers Faithful fans who have battled or are currently battling breast cancer for Salute to Strength, a unique event incorporating football and relaxation services including manicures, massages and make-up.

Furthermore, these individuals and their most significant supporters will join the team for the 49ers Breast Cancer Awareness Game on October 4th against the Green Bay Packers, presented by Dignity Health, participating in a special halftime ceremony expressing the importance of early detection.

The Sunday game will also include a moving tribute to former 49ers Total Access host and Gold Rush member, Melissa Galvin Dobson, who lost her battle with cancer earlier this year, as well as a stadium drive with ZTA which will raise funds for American Cancer Society (ACS). Lastly, the 49ers are taking advantage of NFL "Crucial Catch" initiatives by supporting two local high school teams during their Breast Cancer Awareness game on October 9th, as well as "A Crucial Catch Day" in San Francisco on October 13th.

More than $8 million has been raised for the American Cancer Society through the partnership, with the majority of donations coming from the sale of Pink merchandise at retail and the NFL Auction website. 100% of proceeds from Pink products auctioned on NFL Auction go directly to the American Cancer Society (ACS). The NFL does not profit from the sale or auction of Pink merchandise. For more information, visit nfl.com/pink.

Money raised through "A Crucial Catch" supports the ACS's Community Health Advocates National Grants for Empowerment (CHANGE) program providing outreach and breast cancer screenings to women in underserved communities. This season marks the first year all 32 NFL markets will receive a $50,000 CHANGE grant. Since 2012, grant recipients have provided more than 64,000 screenings and nearly 150,000 women have received education on the benefits and importance of breast cancer screenings.

Fans may join the year-long fight against breast cancer by visiting NFL.com/pink and signing up for a personal screening reminder, donating to the American Cancer Society and posting a social pledge to get screened using #NFLPink.