About 1 in 8 women, 12.4 percent, will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. For women in the United States, breast cancer death rates are higher than death rates for any other type of cancer, besides lung cancer.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Student and Community Engagement at Sinclair are holding a series of events next week to do their part to raise awareness.
During the week of October 9, the SCE office as well as the Student Medical Assistant Association will conduct five events on campus to raise awareness.
Kates Brommeland, the Coordinator of Student and Community Engagement decided consolidating many events into one weeklong period would be best for raising awareness.
“We’ve always done things around breast cancer awareness,” Brommeland said. “…And it’s usually been events done all throughout the month. We learned over the last couple years, that it doesn’t give it the attention that we want to focus on. We also know that Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are good events for programing events.”
The week starts with a ribbon signing. The ribbons are a sign of support towards all those affected by the disease. Students are welcome to write a message of hope, write their names and words of support or the name of a loved one who needs thoughts sent their way.
The small paper ribbons will be posted on various bulletin boards around campus and will stay there for the duration of the month of October.
The signings will take place on multiple days of the week, with the first on Oct. 9 in the third floor of Building 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The second signing is on Oct. 11 in the second floor lobby of Building 14 during the same time frame.
The next event is called Paint the Campus Pink, and will take place on the Rolling Hills Plaza just outside of Building 10.
In this event the sidewalk surrounding the area will be surrounded by messages of hope made by students and faculty. The SEC offices have pink sidewalk paint specifically for the event.
Following the event, there will be a Pink Pizza Party held in Building 8 where there will be more opportunities to sign ribbons, and eat pizza, listen to music and socialize while helping raise awareness.
Participants are encouraged to wear pink that day, and the event is on Oct. 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The week’s festivities will be capped off when the volleyball team plays Lorain County Community College the next day. Players and coaches at the game will be wearing pink uniforms and spectators are encouraged to do the same.
Kum Chee Gan, head coach of the team hopes for a solid turnout from the Sinclair community for the event. He invites many students to come to the game to honor and support those affected by the disease.
The game will occur at 5:30 p.m. in the gym on Oct. 13.
The Student Medical Assistant Association will also have a presence at these events, selling t-shirts and giving information about what their organization has to offer.
Brommeland hopes that students will turn out to these events and show their support for those suffering from breast cancer.
“I really want students to come out to these events,” Brommeland said. “They are fun, exciting activities, and we’ve never really done anything like Paint the Campus Pink before. The more students we can get down there, the better.”
Henry Wolski
Executive Editor