2008 Woodie Awards
Flags show affects of cancer
Names adorn flags to bring awareness to cancer detection
Bethany Hergert, Staff Writer
Issue date: 10/24/06
Last Updated: 12/26/07
Pink flags with the names of breast cancer survivors, battlers and victims lined the Hello Walk this past week to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness month. The Colleges Against Cancer club and the medics each held a "Pink Day" to raise awareness on campus about cancer.
"I think sometimes young people feel that they are immune to cancer," said junior Amanda Smith, president of Cancer Awareness Club. "The key is early detection and that should start when you are young and healthy so you can continue to have a healthy life."
Last week, for CAC's Pink Day, club members handed out over 60 yards of pink ribbons, allowing people to make pink ribbon flags to honor those who have won, lost or are still fighting a battle with breast cancer.
"I liked the visual representations of family near our community that are fighting breast cancer," participant and senior Jeanine Douglass said.
Sodexho contributed by making pink cookies, as well as allowing CAC to decorate the tables with pink balloons and table tents.
For last Wednesday's Pink Day, the medics sold pink bracelets for $2 to benefit a local breast cancer support group, as well as encouraging everyone to wear pink as a show of support and remembrance.
"There are many students who have friends and family members that have suffered from breast cancer, and it's important to recognize that," senior lead medic Krystal Newman said.
In November, CAC will be participating in the thirtieth annual Great American Smokeout, a American Cancer Society sponsored event that aims to get smokers to vow to not smoke for 24 hours in hopes that it will last forever.
In the spring, CAC will be organizing Relay for Life, a fundraiser where teams gather pledges for walking the track all night long to symbolize the fact that cancer never sleeps, so neither will they.
Information was given out to passers-by in hopes that education will be the first step in conquering the disease.
"I found Pink Day beneficial because it raised awareness about breast cancer," freshman participant Kayli Hoogestraat said. "It provided an opportunity to share information, to learn more about prevention and to bond together to support each other."
Both CAC and the medics feel it is important for college students to be educated about the dangers of cancer and the value of early detection.
"I would hope that more people are conscious of early detection of cancer," Smith said. "I also would hope that this will also make people remember those people in their lives that are fighting cancer and will keep them in our thoughts and prayers."
"I think sometimes young people feel that they are immune to cancer," said junior Amanda Smith, president of Cancer Awareness Club. "The key is early detection and that should start when you are young and healthy so you can continue to have a healthy life."
Last week, for CAC's Pink Day, club members handed out over 60 yards of pink ribbons, allowing people to make pink ribbon flags to honor those who have won, lost or are still fighting a battle with breast cancer.
"I liked the visual representations of family near our community that are fighting breast cancer," participant and senior Jeanine Douglass said.
Sodexho contributed by making pink cookies, as well as allowing CAC to decorate the tables with pink balloons and table tents.
For last Wednesday's Pink Day, the medics sold pink bracelets for $2 to benefit a local breast cancer support group, as well as encouraging everyone to wear pink as a show of support and remembrance.
"There are many students who have friends and family members that have suffered from breast cancer, and it's important to recognize that," senior lead medic Krystal Newman said.
In November, CAC will be participating in the thirtieth annual Great American Smokeout, a American Cancer Society sponsored event that aims to get smokers to vow to not smoke for 24 hours in hopes that it will last forever.
In the spring, CAC will be organizing Relay for Life, a fundraiser where teams gather pledges for walking the track all night long to symbolize the fact that cancer never sleeps, so neither will they.
Information was given out to passers-by in hopes that education will be the first step in conquering the disease.
"I found Pink Day beneficial because it raised awareness about breast cancer," freshman participant Kayli Hoogestraat said. "It provided an opportunity to share information, to learn more about prevention and to bond together to support each other."
Both CAC and the medics feel it is important for college students to be educated about the dangers of cancer and the value of early detection.
"I would hope that more people are conscious of early detection of cancer," Smith said. "I also would hope that this will also make people remember those people in their lives that are fighting cancer and will keep them in our thoughts and prayers."
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