Ryan Davis, junior, is walking 60 miles to raise money for breast cancer awareness and in support of Ms. Irene Montano, foreign language teacher, who was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago.
Montano has been in and out of remission with the disease and her cancer recently came back this summer. She is undergoing chemotherapy treatments every three weeks.
“It really helps me being here at school instead of staying home,” said Montano. Throughout her struggle, Montano manages to keep a smile on her face.
Davis decided to participate in the walk because his mom has participated in the event the last couple of years and Davis is finally eligible to join due to his age.
He said, “Why not? It’s for a good cause”.
Davis has been walking every weekend for about 10 miles on average in preparation for the event. He estimates that he has been walking a mile in 18-20 minutes.
“I think that’s a pretty good time,” said Davis.
Davis has to raise $2,200 in order to participate in the 3day walk where volunteers walk 60 miles. He has sent out approximately 200 letters to teachers and friends in hopes they support his cause and raise the funds.
“It’s nothing compared to what these men and women have to go through,” Davis said as a persuasion for supporters.
85 percent of the proceeds from the event go to the Susan G. Komen foundation and 15 percent of the proceeds go to the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund. Two hundred thousand new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed this year in the U.S.
“One woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 3 minutes. Every thirteen minutes the disease claims another life in the United States,” according to the 3day website.
Montano’s students have gone in to check up on her and offered their support in many ways.
Security guards, Roman Thomas and Victor Hardy, shaved their heads in support of Montano. She said that she didn’t know they did this until she saw them on campus.
The National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund and the Susan G. Komen Foundation need as many people as possible to help find a cure for this disease.
Chandler High School students and faculty can help the Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation by buying a pink shoe from DECA, who will also be running in The Race for the Cure.
Donations can be made on Davis’s donation page, www.the3day.org/arizona06/ryno27.