Big or small, save ‘em all: breast cancer awareness

A promise made to a dying sister that everything possible would be done to end breast cancer forever was made in 1982. Twenty-six years later, five GCSU women are doing their part to carry out that promise.

In August of 2007, Amanda Cheek’s mother went to her regularly scheduled mammogram and the results came back negative. Because there were no irregularities with the mammogram, her doctor suggested that she try a new digital mammogram as a trial patient. The digital mammogram revealed that Cheek’s mother did, in fact, have breast cancer.

“Our family was shocked when we heard the news,” Cheek said “My mom was always so healthy and there was no family history at all.”

Without the use of such advanced technology, Cheek’s mother would not have discovered the breast cancer for at least another year.

“Everyone deserves the chance to use new technologies,” Cheek said. “Without them, other women will miss opportunities to detect breast cancer early.”

Cheek heard about a three-day walk that benefits breast cancer research, treatment, and detection on the radio this past spring and immediately felt compelled to participate. She registered in the spring of 2008 for the Breast Cancer 3-Day benefiting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Her next step was to form a team.
“I have always felt support from my sorority sisters and felt that that was a good starting point to recruit members for my team,” said Cheek.

Emily Ewalt, senior art history major, was eager to help Cheek.
“I’ve never had anyone personally in my family that had breast cancer, so I would say that I am walking for the past, present and future,” said Ewalt. “One in seven women will get breast cancer; one of us could get breast cancer, our mothers could get breast cancer, our daughter’s could get breast cancer.”

With five girls committed to the cause, the GCSU Girls’ team was formed and they are off and running, or rather walking, ready to train and raise $11,000 to contribute a personal difference in the search for a cure against breast cancer.

The team is comprised of Cheek, who is serving as team captain, Ewalt, Kim Contigiani, senior nursing major, Kelley Evans, senior marketing major and Julie Warbington, senior community health major, which are all Georgia College students.

Each team member has to commit to raising $2,200 in order to participate in the walk. If the money is not raised by the time of the walk, team members will not only lose the chance to complete the walk, but they also have one month after the walk to fulfill their monetary commitment or it will be deducted from the credit card on file from registration. Their efforts are part of the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists.

“It’s definitely going to be hard work,” said Ewalt. “I didn’t expect it to be this intense, but I am enjoying it, as frustrating as it can get sometimes.”

In the GCSU Girls’ case, several of the girls are well on their way to completing their goals. The team has currently raised $6,000 of their $11,000 goal. Fundraisers and special events, including a spirit night at Chick-fil-A, as well as tip jars downtown and t-shirt sales are all in place in order to help the remaining team members fulfill their requirements.

“The community has been really helpful,” said Contigiani. “Hallmark and the book stores as well as other local businesses have donated stuff that we could use for a silent auction.”

The team has also been busy training and participating in shorter walks to help build their stamina for the big three-day event. Completing a seven-mile walk on July 5 at Stone Mountain, and a ten-mile walk on July 26 in Downtown Atlanta, the GCSU Girls are ready to paint the town pink from Oct. 24-26 when they complete the Breast Cancer 3-Day.

“It’s very inspirational seeing the cancer survivors walking because we’re walking and we’re having a really hard time with it,” said Ewalt. “Then there are these women who have survived cancer, who are twice our age, and they’re just truckin’ along.”

“I am nervous about the walk because we are going to be roughin’ it. But all-in-all, we’re 21 years old,” Cheek said. ” This will be an experience of a lifetime.”

Eighty-five percent of the net proceeds directly benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. If you would like to donate, visit http://08.the3day.org/goto/GCSU and choose which team member you would like to donate to.

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer that affects American woman and is the second leading cause of cancer among women. In 2008, it is estimated that 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer will develop in the U.S.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 26 2008. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry