Students wear pink to support breast cancer awareness
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 10:00PM By Amanda Phipps
phippsa@thejohnsonian.com
A room full of people in pink listened as two women spoke about fighting for their lives.
October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) and Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) sororities joined forces in hosting the event “Pink Out for Breast Cancer” on Tuesday in Tillman, which informed students about cancer, treatment options and prevention.
The sororities had partnered previously on breast cancer awareness, and it was successful, so they decided to join again, said chairman of the AKA breast cancer program committee Arieal Mack.
“It was a pleasure to work with them for the cause,” she said.
The event included a performance by Skin Deep and a Yoplait yogurt table, where students could enjoy the yogurt and then donate the pink lids to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Mack said.
Piedmont Medical Center and Career and Civic Engagement on campus sponsored the event, she said. Piedmont had resource tables for students.
Donation jars were placed at the giveaway tables, and all donations went to Susan G. Komen for the cure, Mack said. Gifts such as ribbons, pens and lanyards were also given out.
Breast Care Navigator at Piedmont, Rosemary Clement, spoke about being diagnosed with breast cancer and the importance of self-exams and catching the cancer early.
The U.S. Services has released new breast cancer prevention guidelines that advise women against mammograms until age 50 and self-exams, Clement said.
“It has many people confused,” she said. “Piedmont still follows the standard American Cancer Society guidelines.”
Clement said Piedmont follows the standard guidelines because self-exams and mammograms allow for the early detection of breast cancer.
“The survival rate is higher when the cancer is caught early,” she said.
With stage-one cancer, a person has a 90 percent survival rate, Clement said. With stage-three cancer, the survival rate is 57 percent and with stage-four cancer, the survival rate decreases to 14 percent because the cancer has spread to other organs.
Women should have mammograms at the age of 35 and then every year after they turn 40, she said. This is true unless the person has a family history of breast cancer, in which case she should have mammograms beginning when she is ten years younger then when her relative was diagnosed.
Women should do self-exams after their period once every couple of months, Clement said.
“They should get to know what their normal is,” she said. “Look for abnormal lumps that do not go away.”
People can prevent breast cancer by not smoking, eating right and exercising, Clement said.
“Three million women in the U.S. have been diagnosed with breast cancer and have survived,” she said.
Though it is uncommon, men can also get breast cancer, Clement said. Obesity in men and women can contribute to cancer. Breast cancer is estrogen-fed and dietary fat produces the enzyme aromatase, which converts into estrogen.
“My cancer is estrogen-fed, so I am trying to lose weight and get lean,” Clement said. She has been cancer free for four years.
Though cancer can go into remission for years, it can always come back, she said.
“We don’t ever say a person is cured,” she said.
The event included speakers.
Christen Moody spoke about being diagnosed at 32 years old this year. She made the point that it can happen to a person without the gene or family histrory, but she remains positive.
“Breasts don’t make the woman,” she said. “Life is worth more than a pair of breasts.”
Her husband, Jeremy Moddy also spoke.
“Breasts don’t matter, you fall in love with the person’s heart,” he said. “I love my wife.”
Mack said she became involved in the event because it is important for college students to be aware.
“College students think it can’t happen to them,” she said, “but it is never too early to get resources and be aware.”
The event was a way for students to have fun while getting the information they need, Mack said.
“‘Pink Out’ was a good way to get everybody to come out,” she said. “It was a unique way to get the campus aware.”
