October is national Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Connecticut College students did their part to raise campus-wide awareness about breast cancer by participating in last Tuesday’s Breast Cancer Walk, Breast Cancer planned and led by Connecticut College senior, Grace Astrove.
The event, organized by Astrove for the second year, brought together nearly thirty students, passionate about continued public support for Breast Cancer research and spreading awareness about the prevalence of the disease.
Prior to Tuesday’s walk, Astrove and other Connecticut College Peer Educators manned a table from which they passed out pink ribbons (an iconic symbol of Breast Cancer support) and health information about Breast Cancer to help educate the student body.
They also promoted the Walk, which has been coordinated by Connecticut College’s Peer Educators and supported by the group’s advisor, CC Curtis, the College’s Director of Student Wellness, for many years.
Last Tuesday, the students participating in the Walk met in front of the College Center at Crozier-Williams, fashioned in all the pink clothing they could find. Astrove welcomed the participants before they began their walk around campus, using her position as leader of the event to share information about breast cancer, breast cancer research and the importance of supporting organizations, such as the Susan G. Koman Foundation, that are dedicated to supporting women and families coping with the disease, as well to raising funds to aide researchers in finding a cure.
As Peer Educators, Astrove and the other students involved are responsible for planning programs on campus that promote adolescent and early-adult health. When Astrove came to Connecticut College as a freshman and joined the group, she found that the Peer Educator program would allow her to spread awareness about causes to which she felt personally connected and October is national Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Connecticut College students did their part to raise campus-wide awareness about breast cancer by participating in last Tuesday’s Breast Cancer Walk, Breast Cancer planned and led by Connecticut College senior, Grace Astrove.
The event, organized by Astrove for the second year, brought together nearly thirty students, passionate about continued public support for Breast Cancer research and spreading awareness about the prevalence of the disease.
Prior to Tuesday’s walk, Astrove and other Connecticut College Peer Educators manned a table from which they passed out pink ribbons (an iconic symbol of Breast Cancer support) and health information about Breast Cancer to help educate the student body.
They also promoted the Walk, which has been coordinated by Connecticut College’s Peer Educators and supported by the group’s advisor, CC Curtis, the College’s Director of Student Wellness, for many years.
Last Tuesday, the students participating in the Walk met in front of the College Center at Crozier-Williams, fashioned in all the pink clothing they could find. Astrove welcomed the participants before they began their walk around campus, using her position as leader of the event to share information about breast cancer, breast cancer research and the importance of supporting organizations, such as the Susan G. Koman Foundation, that are dedicated to supporting women and families coping with the disease, as well to raising funds to aide researchers in finding a cure.
As Peer Educators, Astrove and the other students involved are responsible for planning programs on campus that promote adolescent and early-adult health. When Astrove came to Connecticut College as a freshman and joined the group, she found that the Peer Educator program would allow her to spread awareness about causes to which she felt personally connected and passionate about.
“Breast Cancer Awareness has been a personal passion since my grandmother passed away from the disease when I was younger,” Astrove shared.
When discussing why breast cancer is something important for college-aged women to be educated about, Astrove made it clear that, “[Breast cancer] is a disease that affects women even as young as 20…it is vital for women our age to [learn how to detect it] now.”
Breast cancer awareness and early detection is certainly not something that only Astrove and the peer educators advocate for. Nationally known organizations such as the Susan G. Komen Foundation have made the crusade to cure breast cancer a national phenomena. Additionally, in the United States’ Congress, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Shultz (D-FL) has been working diligently to pass a bill regarding breast cancer. This bill will enact a national education campaign that will, “increase awareness among young women under the age of 40 of the threats posed by breast cancer, proactive steps women can take to reduce risks of developing breast cancer, and early detection techniques that lead to early diagnosis and treatment of the disease (The EARLY Act, H.R. 1740).”
With the campaign, “The EARLY Act,” the Congresswoman hopes to make people understand that, “[Breast cancer] strikes women from all backgrounds, races, and ethnicities, the rich and the poor, the old and the young.”
Especially because of the national spotlight on breast cancer research and education, it is no surprise that Astrove hopes that the Walk will continue every year at Connecticut College, for as long as, Astrove powerfully stated, “Connecticut College is in existence, or until there is a cure for breast cancer.”
I think Save Second Base is a trivializing slogan