Students and teachers coming together to raise awareness

By: Bethany Haddad '13

Think pink ribbon, what comes to mind? Of course, breast cancer. From clothing stores to pizza boxes, the pink ribbon is used to get people talking and thinking about breast cancer itself. October is The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and is dedicated to raising awareness, sharing information about the disease, and providing access to more services to help treat breast cancer.

Here at ERHS, Mrs. Ferguson, along with the Interact group, provides students with a chance to get involved with the cause and be part of something bigger than themselves. When asked about her efforts here at the school, Mrs. Ferguson responded, “I would like to think, or at least hope, that my efforts are helping.  I have been so impressed with the students of ERHS over the past years for their dedication to the Pink Out.”

Mrs. Ferguson has another reason to be sympathetic to the disease. Her mother owns a shop that specializes in providing products for women who have gone through breast cancer. Mrs. Ferguson even sells some of those items to kids in school. “I got my bright pink suspenders from Mrs. Ferguson; I wanted them because all the cool kids have them, and I can add them to my breast cancer awareness collection!” Collin Spagnolo ’14 added.

Ms. Wetzel, who heads the organization Interact, feels similarly, “I support Pink Out efforts because of women that I have known who have suffered from breast cancer. It is very important for women to be aware of the dangers of breast cancer and the benefits of routine screening and education.”

Athletes are given the special opportunity to show support to the cause and be sympathetic here at Eaton Rapids. “To me, playing in a pink out game means showing support to all the survivors and ones that have passed away. There are people out there still fighting for them, even when they can't.” Baylee Dadswell ’13, a senior on the varsity volleyball team, said.

The volleyball team has been showing support for 3 years, and the football team has been having a pink out game for 6 years. Eaton Rapids was one of the first schools around the area to start using athletic events as an avenue to show support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Each year the high school works to raise money for the American Cancer Society, and every year it is able to make a donation at the ACS walk each October. “I think that every little bit helps. That’s why I gave the only two dollars I had to Ms. O’Neill,” Jake Spenser ’15 said.

It’s clear that cancer awareness is important to everyone here at the high school. What does it mean to the community and the world? The point of the month is to realize that although many great strides have been made in breast cancer awareness and treatment, there remains much to be accomplished. Today, we as people need to remain dedicated to educating and empowering women to take charge of their own breast health.