Abby Epstein – News Editor
A mile walk was hosted by the Programming Board and Campus Recreation and Fitness to spread awareness about breast cancer.
Signs of encouragement and facts about breast cancer were placed along the walk to educate people on ways of preventing it. Participants were able to wear bibs that read “I’m walking for,” and could write their name below.
“It was the idea of when they are doing the walk- you don’t want it to feel like it’s just a walk around campus. You want to keep the acknowledgement of what we are walking for,” said Eve Altieri, a graduate intern for Recreation and Fitness.
The event was brought up to Recreation and Fitness after Programming Board Chair Natalie Sinclair reached out for assistance hosting. She said she wanted to collaborate because Altieri has had more experience with organizing a public health focused event.
“We were basically asking in my programming board meeting what events students want to see during the semester, and one was a breast cancer awareness type of event and then we decided on a walk,” said Sinclair.
Altieri and Jenna Dunn, Adviser of Residential Hall Association, said many students participated and some showed up eager to walk before they could even finish setting up.
“I think that honestly this worked really well. Planning it was really fun and seeing everyone come out to do it I think is a little more encouraging,” said Altieri. “So far this semester, there aren’t that many people on campus but it’s really encouraging to see so many students come out and do the walk.”
“I think this is a really good cause and when I was in high school, we always did a breast cancer walk and this is so important to me because I do have family members that have had breast cancer before and I know friends that had family members with breast cancer before,” said health care studies major Brenda Rodriguez, a sophomore.
History education major Andrew Seaton, a sophomore, was walking for his high school gym teacher. Back then, he said every sport program would find ways to show support for her during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Seaton was a part of the wrestling team, where they wore pink socks in her honor.
“She was just always a great lady, always around us, always the life of every sport at my high school,” said Seaton. “I think it was a good walk, you know it definitely reached out to the community and let other people know and just showed support for it.”
Others walked in support of their friends. A member of the dance team was walking for her teammates who had family members living with breast cancer and for breast cancer patients in general.
“We are supporters of breast cancer. There are people who have had relatives who have had it, so we are supporting people on our dance team and at southern,” said dance team member Jelise Nimmons.
Ali Fernand is another member of the dance team who was walking for both of her grandmas who have had breast cancer. She said that events such as these are important and she likes seeing people come out to support.
“One of them had it twice and she passed away before I was born, and one of them had it recently but she’s doing well now,” said Fernand. “It’s very important. It has affected my family and I might get it one day since it’s in my genes. It’s nice to know there are a lot of people willing to support the cause for people who do get it or are more likely to get it.”
The walk was put on for anyone who wanted to show support for breast cancer. Signs were placed around campus, allowing anyone on campus to be able to read them, making the awareness broader than the people participating in the walk.
“It’s a risk to everyone,” said Dunn. “I think it is important to spread awareness and obviously remember and keep people who are going through this in our hearts.”
Photo credit: Roma Rositani
