Throughout the 2014 season, the Chiefs Community Caring Team was extremely active in the Kansas City region, making an effort to give back to the Chiefs Kingdom.

One of the Chiefs main missions is to engage the fans and unite with the Kansas City community, which they accomplish week after week. The Chiefs community relations department has created a myriad of programs in order to inspire youth, connect with the community and honor those in the region.

"The programming that we have in place are really exciting because it's not only the players, or the Hunt family, but it's the cheerleaders, the Red Coaters and front office staff; everybody coming together collectively as the Chiefs Community Caring Team to help uplift our neighbors and our community throughout the year," Chuck Castellano, Chiefs community relations manager, noted.

Through this four-part series, beginning with health and wellness, we'll take a look at the impact the group made in the 2014 season.

Health and WellnessBreast Cancer Awareness
During the month of October, which is national breast cancer awareness month, the Chiefs supported those battling the disease, recognized those who are now survivors and encouraged others to get screened.

At the Chiefs vs. Rams game on October 26th, the organization celebrated Catherine Fabian as the Pink Seat Honoree. Fabian was diagnosed with breast cancer a year earlier, in October 2013. After seven rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, followed by 33 rounds of radiation and six more rounds of chemotherapy, Fabien is finally cancer free.

To read more about Fabian's story, click here.

Later that month, the Chiefs, along with The University of Kansas Hospital (TUKH) and the American Cancer Society, hosted the Look Good Feel Better event for women battling breast cancer.

The event was intended to help improve women's self-esteem, self-image and their quality of life while undergoing cancer treatments. The women were able to try on different hairpieces, scarves, hats or hair wraps and learn about different makeup techniques and nail care.

"I'm so thankful to the Chiefs for sponsoring such an event," Jamie Wagner, breast surgical oncologist with TUKH, said. "It really does show their commitment and love for this community and it means a lot to these women." Read the full story here.

The Chiefs Women's Organization (CWO) was also involved in honoring and supporting those battling breast cancer through the month of October. The CWO and the women of Zeta Tau Alpha passed out pink ribbons and pink eye black to fans walking into the stadium before the Chiefs vs. Rams game.

"We are passionate about promoting breast cancer awareness and it's our pleasure to help inform fans about getting screened and performing monthly self-exams," Tavia Hunt, wife of Clark Hunt, said. "Early detection is key to curing and preventing breast cancer, so we are wearing our pink and encouraging fans to learn more about breast cancer."

Play 60
The NFL's national campaign, Play 60, is designed to encourage young fans to be active for 60 minutes a day, live an active lifestyle and choose healthy options. Through the various youth programs reaching schools, community groups and other agencies, the Chiefs spread the Play 60 ideals to many students throughout Kansas City.

During the regular season, the Chiefs Community Caring Team visited local youth programs to teach them the importance of eating healthy and staying active.

"We want to show these kids how to live a healthy lifestyle, how to be active and play for 60 minutes a day," Chiefs quaterback Alex Smith said. "It's a great chance to spend time with these kids and drive that message home. Anytime that you get to interact out in the community, it's always a fun time and a great time to teach them about making good, healthy choices."

During the school year, the Chiefs hosted Fuel Up to Play 60 assemblies at various schools. The group spoke with students about the importance of healthy choices, being active for 60 minutes a day and brought along some games to get the kids moving.

One of the recent assemblies was at Briarwood Elementary in Olathe, KS. The group taught the children about proper nutrition, led them in interactive games and got them up and moving. READ MORE.

Sports Lab
The Sports Lab's mission is to inform local youth about the NFL Play 60 initiatives and to promote an active and healthy lifestyle. It is designed for students from first through sixth grade and is an interactive area with several hands-on exhibits that educate youth in a fun and engaging manner.

In 2014, the Chiefs Sports Lab powered by Blue KC hosted over 22,500 visitors. Of that number, 10,365 were students from schools that are low-income or Title I. Blue KC provided funding for these schools to visit and participate in the lab.

The Chiefs Community Caring Team and the Sports Lab facilitated over 3.2 million minutes of activity in 2014. This includes Sports Lab fieldtrips, outreach assemblies, Play 60 events and Play 60 fan experiences on game days.

Schedule your tour today at kcchiefs.com/sportslab.

Heads Up Football
The Chiefs are an active supporter of USA Football’s *Heads Up Football* initiative. Each year, the Chiefs host an event for local players and coaches to receive further education on how to diagnose and prevent concussions, as well as learn proper tackling techniques and equipment fitting.

"These events are a great way to spend time with these kids, while also promoting safety," offensive lineman Eric Kush said. "We want to help them and teach them, so we can prevent injuries from happening to them now or later in their football career."

For the past two years, the Chiefs have also hosted a Heads Up Football clinic for mothers of young football players. This clinic was intended to help empower mothers with knowledge and information to be more prepared, aware and informed on how to protect their children. To learn more about the mom's clinics, click here.

Part II: Fundraising & Food Drives