October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and people on campus are working to show breast cancer patients and survivors that they aren’t fighting the battle alone.
According to the American Cancer Society, in the U.S., one in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. While much rarer, about 530 men are expected to die from breast cancer each year as well.
“It’s important to show our support because this disease affects so many people,” said Betsy Bennett, the SGA president and a senior human services major from Eufaula, Alabama.
“These women are people’s family members, friends, neighbors, teachers and more.”
The SGA isn’t only showing support for the women who are currently fighting personal battles with breast cancer. They’re showing support for the fighters who aren’t here to share their testimony, too.
“It’s important to honor and respect those who have lost the battle to breast cancer and ensure them that we will all keep fighting to hopefully find an answer to this disease,” Bennett said.
This month, TUPD officers will be wearing pink badges. Wearing these badges is not only showing their support for women with breast cancer that they don’t know, but it’s also showing support for people who they may be close with.
“Everybody’s touched by it,” said TUPD Chief George Beaudry. “We have officers here that have immediate family members that have dealt with this.
“We have friends, faculty, staff on campus that we all personally know that have battled breast cancer.”
The support doesn’t stop at campus organizations and law enforcement. Students who aren’t affiliated with any organizations have personal goals to show their support as well.
“It’s a very scary thing for an individual and a family to go through, so I want to try to become more educated and bring more awareness to it this month,” said Jordan Gibsone, a senior psychology major from Dothan, Alabama. “I want women going through that struggle to fight for themselves and their families and show them that I’m one of the people rooting for them to get better.”
The dining team is also wearing pink ribbons all month to show support for Breast Cancer Awareness month.
For more information about breast cancer and awareness, visit nationalbreastcancer.org/
about-breast-cancer/.
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