It’s October and that means active efforts to raise awareness of breast cancer are back. Apart from the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure events, there are ample opportunities in Central Florida. A former teacher was diagnosed with breast cancer and unfortunately lost the battle. Because of this close connection, Trinity has a week each year dedicated to such efforts.
“In 2000 Schellhase, former PE Dept chair & basketball coach, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 29,” English teacher Georgia Parker said. “At the time there were also several Trinity parents battling breast cancer, and this [consequently] began our campus focus on this issue.”
To honor the victims of breast cancer, several regional locations offer opportunities to help out the effort. Pink Out Winter Park is one such opportunity. A partnership between Park Avenue merchants, Winter Park Memorial Hospital and the City of Winter Park, Pink Out raises awareness specifically for encouraging women to get mammograms. Donations are raised via flamingo sales. Thousands of flamingos grace yards all over the Winter Park area–even Trinity had flamingos lining the entrance last year. Each pink flamingo costs 10 dollars and helps to raise awareness.
“Compared to the national average of 81 percent, only 50 percent of women in Central Florida received a mammogram last year,” said Dr. Lori Boardman, medical director of Florida Hospital for Women. “But the percent of women receiving mammograms [in Central Florida] is increasing.”
The other major opportunity for awareness is Libby’s Legacy. Named for deceased Winter Park native Libby Maynard, Libby’s Legacy provides comprehensive breast health care to the underserved Central Florida community through education, mammograms, and follow-up diagnostics on the journey from diagnosis to treatment and beyond. They also send Stage IV breast cancer patients on free week-long vacations, such as Alaskan cruises. As Winter Park’s two largest breast cancer awareness raisers, Libby’s Legacy and Pink Out Winter Park have had proportionally few locals helping out at their organizations; however, support for breast cancer awareness continues to slowly grow at Trinity. The easiest thing to do would be to eradicate cancer, which can be achieved with time and perisistence.
“Time is shortening,” famous breast cancer survivor Ingrid Bergman said. “But every day that I challenge this cancer and survive is a victory for me.”
This year, hopefully, more pink ribbons and flamingos will spring up on campus and around Winter Park, testifying to the strength of our community.
