October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As part of the Owls for the Cure movement, Temple Athletics is sponsoring a “Pink Out” for Tuesday’s home football game against Ohio. Temple Athletics will donate a dollar for each Temple student who shows up to the game, starting at a minimum of 7,000 fans.
Supporting a cause really doesn’t get any easier than this. All students need to do is show up, and someone will donate money for them. That kind of generosity deserves our support.
Not only that, pink shirts will be handed out at the game, so the pink out will be even easier.
More than 188,000 women and men were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 in the United States. In the same year, more than 41,000 died from it. These numbers should be both sobering and inspiring. Breast cancer is a serious issue, and it needs to be addressed by events like Owls for the Cure and others.
At the same time, breast cancer is not a death sentence for many people, and it doesn’t have to be for many more. Research helps save lives, and researchers get their money from awareness and fundraising campaigns.
Cancer seems distant to those who haven’t had a family member diagnosed with it. As students, fewer of us have been affected by breast cancer than our older relatives. This makes it harder to feel passionately about finding new treatments, or even a cure.
However, we will inherit the problems of our parents and grandparents if we do not help them solve the issues they face. Breast cancer is one of those issues. It is the sixth-largest killer of women in the United States. Among most women, it is the second most common cancer. For Hispanic women, it is the most common cancer.
Owls for the Cure will not solve the issue of breast cancer single-handedly. Neither will any other event. But, the momentum from the “Pink Out” can help create the kind of movement that will take on breast cancer successfully.
Go support Temple at the football game tonight. And help save the world while you are there.
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