On Thursday, Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. in SSU 240, SEB Coffeehouse and Colleges Against Cancer collaborated to put together the first ever Pink Party in support of the fight against a disease that many are too familiar with – breast cancer. This event provided students with pink cupcakes, cookies, bracelets and sweatbands to celebrate the fight to end breast cancer.
SEB Coffeehouse Co-Chair Madison Barber ’20 was at the forefront of the event and declared that it is a “good feeling to have the campus support you and fight against the same cause.” Apart from hosting events every Thursday evening at 9 p.m. in the Sarazen Student Union, SEB Coffeehouse holds meetings every Monday night at 7 p.m. in SSU 240. Barber encourages students to come and share their ideas for possible events on campus and welcomes any and all campus perspectives.
At the event, students were given the chance to participate in a free 30-minute yoga class, complete with meditation and essential oil therapy. To go along with the theme of offering a yoga class, there were two bundles being raffled off to students, both consisting of one pink yoga mat and one pink water bottle.
Among the pink baked goods and giveaways, the Colleges Against Cancer representatives provided sign-up sheets for students looking to participate in the Relay for Life on Campus held in March, which has been a very successful and well-attended event in the past where students can form teams with their friends to raise money for the American Cancer Society. At Relay, the Siena community comes together to honor cancer survivors, celebrate the lives of loved ones they have lost to cancer, and continue the conversation about cancer’s impact and how the cause impacts all of us in individual ways.
When asked why Relay for Life is so important, Colleges Against Cancer club president Kate Ross ‘19 expressed, “This event is really important to me and the club because we want to be aware, educated and supported. Last semester at Relay for Life we raised $23,000 for the American Cancer Society on Siena’s campus alone.” Members of Colleges Against Cancer explained, “Our goal is to help other clubs on campus as much as we can. This year we are pushing to become more of a presence on campus by increasing the size of our club and planning more collaborations just like this one.”
Not only did students gather to raise awareness of this disease, the Pink Party provided students a chance to connect with one another to brainstorm ideas for fundraising activities, share the ways in which breast cancer has affected them, plan to organize Relay for Life teams, and share what the cause means to them. Kenia Ramirez ’19 explained, “I’m here to show my support to our peers who have been impacted by this epidemic in our community. This is a cause that affects many.”
It is impossible to understand something without first communicating about it. This event was a great opportunity for students to share the first-hand impact that breast cancer has had on them and others. For those that have not felt the effects of this sickness but want to know how they can help, the best place to start is in your very own community. The Pink Party perpetuated this theme, and the Colleges Against Cancer club works to reinforce such by hosting Siena College’s very own Relay for Life. All are encouraged to attend Colleges Against Cancer club meetings every Wednesday at 9 p.m. in Roger Bacon room 208.
With tickles of pink, big smiles and a determination to bring an end to the vicious effects of breast cancer, SEB Coffeehouse and Colleges Against Cancer kicked off breast cancer awareness month with a bang, instilling in all of us a deeper motivation to save lives.