‘Tis the season for lots of pink! Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, pink is spreading all over the country to raise awareness for the disease. The Colleges Against Cancer Club has been working hard to spread awareness right here on Siena’s campus. The club held an entire breast cancer awareness week with various events, one being the “Pink Out” on Oct. 19 during free period.
The club held a table in the Sarazen Student Union that also had lots of pink giveaways, raffles, and even bra pong. If a student wore pink and came to the table, they were eligible for a ticket for the raffle baskets. Any additional ticket cost $1, and all proceeds went to the American Cancer Society. The table also raised money for the American Cancer Society through a bake sale. The club does fundraisers all year to benefit the American Cancer Society, an organization that raises money for cancer research and care.
Even though there was a fundraising component to the event, it really means so much more. When I spoke to the Colleges Against Cancer president, Katharine Ross ’19, she said, “It was a fun event, but it was meant to get students to think about breast cancer and feel more comfortable talking about their experiences or how to become more aware of breast cancer.” Spreading awareness for cancer is so important and is the mission of the club. Ross said, “Spreading awareness about breast cancer is important because it is something that affects a lot of people. Even if someone hasn’t personally been affected by breast cancer they probably know someone who has been.” She also explained that spreading awareness of breast cancer actually has had an effect on the survival rate. Ross explained, “Since breast cancer has become such a well known and talked about cancer the survival rate for breast cancer has gotten bigger. This is direct proof that the more we talk about it and the more we bring awareness to it the closer we get to a cure.”
Seeing the Siena community come together for an important cause is very heartwarming and a part of what makes Siena special. Ross said, “I loved seeing Siena students wearing pink and coming together for such a great cause.” When asked about her favorite part of the event, she explained the value of the Siena community even further. Ross said, “My favorite part was having students come to me and tell me snapshots of stories about how breast cancer has affected them or their families. It reflects how much of a close community Siena is.”
Keep an eye out for more Colleges Against Cancer events held around campus to learn about different types of cancer and its effect on the community. The main event Colleges Against Cancer holds is Relay for Life, the biggest fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. This will be held right in the MAC on March 23 from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m.