TEAMING UP TO TAKE DOWN CANCER
Hammer Down Cancer
Hammer Down Cancer brings the Purdue community together to support lifesaving cancer research. Through exciting athletic events and fan-driven fundraisers, this initiative rallies Boilermakers to take an active role in the fight against cancer.
Mark your calendar with the next Hammer Down Cancer game. Stay in-the-know by exploring upcoming events.
THE SPIRIT OF PERSISTENCE
Boilermakers rise up to Hammer Down Cancer
These events are about more than sports—they’re a chance to make a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer. Every dollar raise fuels groundbreaking discoveries at the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (PICR). Whether cheering from the stands, participating in special game-day activities, or contributing to fundraising efforts, fans help advance research that changes lives.
Purdue fans, athletes and PICR unite to defeat cancer
Hammer Down Cancer rallies the Purdue fanbase, student-athletes, and the broader community to support lifesaving cancer research. Special games across men’s and women’s basketball, football, volleyball, wrestling, and women’s soccer—and more sports joining each year—shine a spotlight on the fight against cancer. These events celebrate survivors, honor those impacted by the disease, and showcase how the Boilermaker spirit extends beyond the field or court to fuel discoveries at the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research.
Game-worn jerseys fuel game-changing research
One of the highlights of Hammer Down Cancer is the auction of custom game-worn jerseys. For certain games, Purdue players take the court in exclusive jerseys with Hammer Down Cancer branding and accents symbolizing survivors and fighters of all types of cancer. After the game, fans have the chance to bid on these one-of-a-kind jerseys, with 100% of proceeds supporting cancer research at PICR.
The impact is real. In a recent Hammer Down Cancer men’s basketball game, fan generosity raised more than $28,000 through jersey auctions alone. Star point guard Braden Smith’s jersey topped the auction at $5,140, helping push forward research that changes how cancer is understood and treated.
Celebrating champions of cancer research
Hammer Down Cancer games give us an opportunity to honor individuals who make a difference in the fight against cancer with a special honorary game ball presentation. Past honorees have included:
- Graham Cooks, renowned Purdue chemist whose research has advanced early cancer detection.
- Members of Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) <link to: Community Partners>Zeta Tau Alpha page>, recognized for their efforts to raise breast cancer awareness through Purdue’s Big Man on Campus event.
- Brittany Allen-Petersen, a leading cancer biologist recognized for her research advancing the understanding of tumor development and progression.
Contact Us
Get in touch
Phone: 765-494-9129
Fax: 765-494-9193
Email: cancerresearch@purdue.edu
Meet our team
Find us
201 S. University St.
Hansen Life Sciences Bldg, Rm. 141
West Lafayette, IN 47907