Bras Across Campus makes another ‘Pinktober’
Central Penn was the only Central Pennsylvania college this year
to participate in this important health-education and awareness event
By Fatumo Farah
fatumo.farah@mymail.centralpenn.edu
Knightly News Reporter
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Colleges Against Cancer Club hosted another successful Bras Across Campus for the Feel Your Boobies Foundation during the week of Oct. 24.
During October, the club placed baskets around campus for bras to be donated to be part of the display.
The CAC club began participating in Bras Across Campus in 2016 when approached by Leigh Hurst, founder of the Feel Your Boobies Foundation. Hurst was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer at 33 years old. She wanted to raise awareness for young women like herself who had little to no information about breast cancer, and helped start the Bras Across Campus initiative with six local colleges.
At right, bras line Henszey’s Bridge on campus as part of the Bras Across Campus campaign at Central Penn. Photos by Fatumo Farah
CAC partners with the American Cancer Society, and the Leukemia & the Lymphoma Society. Most notably, the club works with the Feel Your Boobies Foundation to educate women on how to detect breast cancer early.
“If someone you know doesn’t have breast cancer, you don’t know much about it,” club Secretary Sara Walters said.
Club members encourage women on campus to examine their breasts. Also, rarely, men develop breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, less than 1 percent of all breast cancer occurs in men.
(Click on the following link to watch a video from Moffitt Cancer Center nurse Carla Molina-Garcia on how to examine your breasts yourself for possible signs of cancer — click on the URL to see the link, and then click on the link that appears — https://moffitt.org/cancers/breast-cancer/faqs/how-to-do-a-self-breast-exam/.)
The campus community donated 30 gently used bras in October. After the bras were displayed on the bridge, they werte washed and donated to Community Aid.
Unlike last year’s event on the bridge, this year, CAC organized a full awareness week that included an information table in the ATEC lobby, the bra display on the campus bridge as a visual reminder and hosted a dress-down day for faculty and staff.
“We do this to spread knowledge across campus, and inform students,” Club Adviser Kristin Fike said.
CPC was the only school in the area to take part in Bras Across Campus this year.
For more information on the Colleges Against Cancer club or to donate toward Breast Cancer Awareness, contact Fike at kristinfike@centralpenn.edu.
Comment or a story idea? Contact KnightlyEditors@CentralPenn.Edu.
Edited by media-club co-advisers Paul Miller and Michael Lear-Olimpi.
