Schools get involved for breast cancer awareness

Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

Some high school teams were particularly involved with the cause.

Calvert High School assistant field hockey coach Cora Jo Spare said her team did its first "Play for the Cure" event on Oct. 1 when the team played Huntingtown High School.

Spare explained that "Play for the Cure" came with a kit that contained pink bracelets, a pink game ball and breast cancer information.

She said that leading up to the event, the field hockey players — one of whom has a mother fighting the disease — raised money for breast cancer research; made pink ribbons to pass out at the game; and sold cupcakes and cookies during the game for the foundation Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Spare said that between the student fundraising and donations made per-goal at "Play for the Cure," about $700 was raised.

"Even though they're at a young age, I think it's important for the girls to have awareness of breast cancer and that it does affect women as a whole," Spare said. " … They were really excited about it … it is something they've all been touched by in some way."

The Huntingtown High School field hockey team also donned some pink and held a chicken dinner on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the school.

It cost $12 to attend, all of which was donated to breast cancer research, said the team's coach, Shannon Persetic.

Along with a meal of chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, rolls and dessert, Persetic said the meal also featured a silent auction and bake sale, both to raise money for breast cancer.

"It's a disease that nobody wants and if we can raise awareness for the girls, that's what we need to do for them," said Persetic, who continued that like Calvert High School's field hockey team, a member of Huntingtown's team also had a mother going through cancer.

Persetic said that while the dinner was a first-time event, she planned on doing "whatever it takes" to raise awareness for the students in the future.

"[Breast cancer] can strike at any age, and the girls need to be aware of that," she said.

Huntingtown High School Principal Rick Weber also said in an e-mail that the school's National Honor Society sponsored a "Denim Day," where students and staff paid to wear jeans and proceeds went to breast cancer research.

Weber also said that Huntingtown's volleyball team worked with Patuxent High School's to cosponsor a match that raised funds for the disease.

Because of one student, Northern High School can create breast cancer awareness year-round.

Senior Annie Collins started a "Pink Ribbon Club" at Northern High School after feeling that there weren't enough viable options for her generation to support the cause.

"A lot of people at my school wanted to get involved but didn't know how … I started this club so people could get involved at my school," said Collins, whose grandmother died from breast cancer when Collins was 10 years old.

The Pink Ribbon Club held its first "Pink Day" on Friday, Oct. 23.

Throughout the day, members sold pink ribbons and pink ribbon-adorned cupcakes, as well as distributed cards containing breast cancer facts. Collins also said that a guest came to her school and applied pink hair extensions to students.

Northern High School government teacher JoAnne Weiland sponsors the Pink Ribbon Club and said she is thrilled by the dedication she has witnessed in its members.

"All I have to do is be here … sometimes I provide a sounding board for them to bounce their ideas off, but for the most part, I just listen as this incredible group of children make their plans to attack this terrible disease," Weiland said in an e-mail.

Breast cancer awareness is practically a way of life for Northern Middle School special education teacher, Melody Galarza, who, for more than 10 years, has organized "denim days" for whatever school in which she has worked.

"The staff pays $5 and they get to wear jeans," Galarza said of the event, which was held at Northern Middle on Friday, Oct. 9.

She said the activity was just for staff members because, "most of the time, students just wear jeans anyway."

Galarza did, however, say that students were able to wear extra pink ribbons that were available.

Her dedication to raising money for breast cancer research stems from something particularly close to her heart: she lost both her mother and her aunt to the disease; two of her cousins were breast cancer survivors; and her sister tested positive for the gene.

"It's a family thing for me; it's very personal for me for me and it's just something I can do," she said.

lbuck@somdnews.com