Trucker-songwriter Tony Justice joined the Susan G. Komen Foundation's Karin Moughler in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Monday at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum for a check presentation to the foundation on behalf of the men and women of trucking who participated in the first annual Large Cars & Guitars truck show in May in Kodak, Tennessee. Proceeds from owner-operators' registrations to show trucks at the event, from an auction held there, from a series of other donations from attendees and vendors and more all totaled to well more than $33K going directly to support the foundation's efforts at raising awareness of, and supporting research into a cure and treatments for, the scourge that is breast cancer.
Tony Justice with Karin Moughler of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, near the entrance to the Country Music Hall of Fame on Monday
"We certainly appreciate your partnership," said Karin Moughler, Nashville-area-based volunteer for the Komen foundation, who underscored the more than 40 years of the foundation's work to support efforts at research into treatments for breast cancer. Over that time, she added, the breast-cancer mortality rate had been reduced by 40 percent, yet the mission continues. "Breast cancer is still the leading cause of cancer in women worldwide. And in the U.S., it's the second leading cause of cancer deaths" among all of us.
Donations like this one, Moughler added, will certainly "make a difference in the treatment options" available to women and men afflicted, and assist the foundation's efforts to break through barriers to treatment that exist in some communities. "We will continue to work toward a world without breast cancer, which is our goal."
Justice lauded the professionals in trucking who participated in the Large Cars event. "I want to send a huge shout-out to all my brothers and sisters of the highway" who participated, he said. "This would not be possible without them. It's the honor of my life to present this check."
In 2019, Justice's wife, Misty, fought her own battle with the condition, and came out "victorious on the other side," Justice said. "This is also something we did to honor her and her battle."
[Related: Tony Justice's 'War Paint' single hitting a national audience with breast-cancer-cure campaign]
