By Lexi White
Features Editor
photo | Carly Russell
K-9 Jules wearing a breast cancer awareness walk t-shirt.
Students came together to honor the beginning of breast cancer awareness month. Led by the Residence Hall Association, students walked from the Buley Library to the Residence Quad to spread awareness of the disease.
A member of the RHA programming board, anthropology major Arielle McIntosh, a senior, helped to host the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on Oct. 8. She said that the significance of this walk is to let students know that this disease is very real and affects the lives of many people on campus.
“My grandmother had breast cancer, and I was with her throughout her treatments,” McIntosh said. “I want the others who are fighting to know that we are all supporting them, and that they have a community that cares.”
For those who attended the walk for awareness, t-shirts, bracelets and bows were given out. RHA wanted to make sure everyone who was participating was wearing pink, the color of the breast cancer ribbon.
McIntosh said, “When students see all the pink apparel, they will know that this is about breast cancer and that we are making their fight our fight.”
Police Sgt. Cynthia Torres and K-9 Jules also wanted to participate in the walk honoring the women who have fought against the disease. Torres said that when she was asked to come to the event, she did not need a second to consider attending.
“A lot of the members of the police department have family members who have luckily survived breast cancer,” Torres said. “This is certainly a cause that we believe in very strongly, and we are happy and honored to help support.”
Business administration major Asia Fairweather, a junior, was one of the students who wanted to share her support for those who have battled against breast cancer. She said she came to the event to help give the disease as much recognition as possible.
“As a woman, this event is so important because we have to be aware of the early signs and let other younger ladies know that the symptoms can start even at our age,” Fairweather said.
Healthcare studies major Chekeena Jeudi, a junior, came to the event because she got an email from RHA regarding the walk. She said that she was eager to help support the cause.
“I’m looking forward to hearing people’s stories and to seeing everyone come together,” Jeudi said. “Bringing recognition to breast cancer during breast cancer awareness month is probably the thing I am looking forward to the most today.”
Jeudi said that giving acknowledgments to the people who are not personally dealing with the illness but have a relationship with someone who is impacted by it, is also very important.
“People on campus can have somebody at home who’s going through this, and they might not get to see the hopeful side of it, so for them to see what is happening today is so special,” Jeudi said.
Computer science major Alison Escobar, a sophomore, and psychology major Idalis Nuez, a senior, getting ready to walk for breast cancer awareness.
