Student Life
Go pink or go home: Participation in breast cancer awareness campaigns
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- Written by Clarissa Sanchez
In 1985, October officially became Breast Cancer Awareness month. Nine years later, the pink ribbon became the official symbol.
Since then, groups of people in pink gather each year eager to find a cure. Whether they are running or purchasing pink ribbon items, they all work towards a common goal.
“I’m saving up my Yoplait yogurt lids,” junior Krystal Rhodes said. “I try to help out as much as I can. It seems like more and more companies are going pink because they care about their customers and the issues they face.”
Rhodes said she also showed her support by purchasing a Dig Pink shirt for $15. On Oct.14, the volleyball team faced Tomball in their third annual Dig Pink game sponsored by the Side-Out Foundation.
“[The atmosphere was] somewhat [different.],” head volleyball coach Beverley Murphy said. “Everything was decorated in pink with breast cancer awareness stuff and even the opposing team participated in it. [We raised money by] selling T-shirts, donations and raffles. [We] raised $1,200.”
According to the Side-Out foundation, Rick Dunetz’s love for volleyball and his mother’s six year battle with breast cancer inspired him to create his foundation.
“It had been around for several years and we went to a game that was involved with it,” Murphy said. “We decided as a group to host it each year from then on.”
Other school organizations such as Key Club raised money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s Race for the Cure on Oct. 1.
“Our group raised about $300,” senior Anna Bugge said. “I saw how happy survivors were and that made me feel really good.”
Bugge said she was not expecting so many people at the event. According to Chron.com, the five kilometer race had over 38,000 runners, making it one of the biggest turnouts in the foundation’s 20 year history.
“[It was] slightly hectic but it was super fun,” junior Brooke Ferguson said. “There were bands in the garden and park area before the race and speakers at the start and finish line that had music playing, too.”
Other events include the half mile Family Walk designed for children five to 12 to participate. Sleep in for the Cure allows people who cannot attend or have limited mobility to participate by sleeping.
“I did the three-mile walk with my mom and my best friend,” freshman Brittany Aguirre said. “My great-grandmother had breast cancer so it was important to me to be out there walking.”