Community Corner

Adelphi Launches Campus-Wide Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

Month-long activities will benefit the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program, now in its 33rd year.

On Tuesday, Adelphi University launched what school officials believe to be one of the first major university campus-wide breast cancer awareness initiatives of its kind.
The campaign will benefit the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program, now in its 33rd year. Founded in 1980, the hotline and support program was the first of its kind in New York State exclusively addressing the psychological and societal issues associated with breast cancer.

The hotline is staffed by nearly 100 specially trained, professionally supervised volunteers, most of whom are breast cancer survivors themselves. Professional counseling is provided to 1,500 people each year. All program services are free.

Several new pink paw-themed activities (to reinforce the Adelphi mascot and emblem, the Panther) are being introduced this year, created by Adelphi’s peer educators.

College of Nursing and Public Health student and peer educator Katherin Ramirez said the initiative is a movement. "I love to see how much it's grown over the time I've been here at Adelphi. What started out as small giveaways, pamplets and one event in the month of October is now a campus-wide movement," she said.

Ramirez said the first thing she did when her mother was diagnosed with Stage 2 cancer was try to educate herself about the disease. "More people on campus are becoming aware of how serious this is, how life changing it is, the effects it has on the people living with cancer and their families," she said of the high level campaign. "I hope each year it continues to grow, save lives and bring light to those who have over come this."

On Tuesday, a breast cancer flag was raised to kick-off the month-long campaign. Also beginning Tuesday, for every Pink Ribbon Bagel sold this month at Panera’s Long Island locations, the company will donate 25 cents to three charities, including the Adelphi Breast Cancer Hotline. On Tuesday, 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the charities.

The first Pink “Paws for Support” sale is underway in front of the Ruth S. Harley University Center until 3 p.m. Paw Sales will raise money for the hotline. Supporters can sign their pink paper paw and hang it on their office door, in their car or even on their fridge as a sign of support for a loved one affected by breast cancer.

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, the university will hold a Fun Run/Walk on the indoor track in the Center for Recreation and Sports beginning at 11 a.m. Between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., campus walkways will be chalked pink as part of the Ephemeral Chalk Up project.

This Saturday, Oct. 5, there's another Fun Run/Walk planned at Motamed Field between 9:30 and 11 a.m. and a "Think Pink" game will be held at 1 p.m. when Adelphi's women's field hockey team takes on Franklin Pierce.

On Monday, Oct. 7, pink ribbons will be hung throughout the Garden City campus. On Friday, Oct. 11, the Pink “Paws for Support” sale continues between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the Ruth S. Harley University Center lobby.

"Think Pink" games continue Saturday, Oct. 12, when Adelphi's women's soccer team takes on Bentley at 1 p.m.; men's soccer plays St. Michael's at 4 p.m.; and women's volleyball faces Pace at noon and Chestnut Hill at 4 p.m.

Emily Dorko, a former Adelphi student-athlete, sports information assistant for the Athletics Department and current MBA student in the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, said the campaign is so important because of the amount of people that have been affected within the Adelphi community and beyond.

"As a former student-athlete it was always great to have a game-day dedicated to the support of breast cancer awareness," Dorko said.

For the seventh straight year, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is raising money and awareness by hosting the fun run/walks, selling tickets to win raffle baskets and “Think Pink” merchandise. Student-athletes will wear “Think Pink” patches on their jerseys throughout October. Last year's “Think Pink” campaign generated nearly $6,500, university officials said.

On Monday, Oct. 14, a Pink “Paws for Support” Sale/Bake Sale will be held in the Ruth S. Harley University Center lobby between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. On Wednesday, Oct. 16, the Pink “Paws for Support” Sale continues.

The Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program will host its Celebration of Survivorship beginning at 7 p.m. in the Ruth S. Harley University Center, 2nd Floor, Thomas Dixon Lovely Ballroom, where the Pink “Paws for Support” Sale will be held beginning at 6:15 p.m.

On Monday, Oct. 28, Faculty/Staff Support Day will be held ($5 donation to wear jeans); there will be a "Paws of Silence" at 2 p.m. at the flag pole and a human ribbon will be formed at 2 p.m. on the lawn between Levermore Hall and the Ruth S. Harley University Center. (Participants must wear a pink (preferably) or white shirt to participate in the formation of the human ribbon.)

On Tuesday, Oct. 29, the campaign winds down with a "Big or Small, Support Them All" workshop hosted by Adelphi’s peer educators at 6 p.m. in the Ruth S. Harley University Center, 2nd Floor, Thomas Dixon Lovely Ballroom.

Monique Mohammed, an Adelphi student and peer educator, said National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a chance to raise awareness about the "utter importance of screening and the early detection of breast cancer."

"Breast Cancer doesn't just affect our mothers, grandmothers and other women in our life, but it can also affect men as well," she said. "October is a month that is dedicated to increasing awareness as well as continuing to fight toward finding a cure."

Visit the hotline here or call 800-877-8077. New breast cancer support groups are being offered in October. Call Sandi Kafenbaum, LCSW, at 877-4314 for more information.


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