Did you know that one in eight women will get breast cancer in her life? And that every 13 minutes there is a woman who dies of the disease? Did you know that breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in woman between the ages of 15 and 54? What about the fact that the second cause of cancer death in woman between the ages of 55 and 74 is breast cancer? And did you know that you are never too young to be at risk?

In a recent student survey of 170 Visitation students, when asked if they knew someone affected by breast cancer, an overwhelming 157 girls replied “yes.”

Hopefully you all know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The best way to get involved is to join or support our own Think Pink Club, moderated by Dean of Students
Eve Grimaldi. There are many activities and fundraisers going on this year including Denim Day, which took place on Oct. 23, the final exam goody bags from our mothers, the Walk for Hope that was on Oct. 11, and the many bake sales.

Aerin Lauder, Mrs. Grimaldi’s daughter’s roommate, supports the fight against breast cancer; her aunt, Evelyn Lauder, is the founder and chairman of Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). She helps provide scientists with money to research a cure to breast cancer and has been a great supporter. She also supports with some of the annual fundraisers for Think Pink.

The lighting up of 1625 Eye Street in an array of pink hues is one of the many ways in which Think Pink shows their support for the fight against breast cancer. The purpose of lighting of this building is to show the need to find a cure for breast cancer no matter what it takes.

So why exactly is spreading breast cancer awareness so important?

Currently, many patients go through what is called a “drive-through mastectomy.” In other words, they are only allowed to stay in the hospital for four short hours after the operation because they cannot afford to stay longer, some with drainage tubes still attached to them. There is a bill that has not been passed yet called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act that requires insurance companies pay for 48 hours in the hospital so patients can stay as long as needed.

When asked why she is so fervently involved with breast cancer awareness, Grimaldi explained, “Many people think I am a breast cancer survivor but really, it does not even run in my family. When I was a young nurse, I assisted a doctor in a mastectomy; I saw the mental and physical impacts on the woman and her family.” The chemotherapy takes so much away from a patient. The drugs in it can not only kill and harm cancer cells but also healthy cells like bone marrow, hair follicles, the reproductive system, and digestive tract. Nausea, hair loss, fatigue, increased chance of bruising and bleeding, anemia, and infection are common side effects of the drugs. The fact that your body is going through these symptoms can be demoralizing.

Grimaldi has been a supporter of the cause from when she started working for the school. “We’ve lost about two mothers a year to breast cancer, and we had to help the students support each other and spread awareness. This club was meant to empower those girls and help them spread awareness of this horrible disease,” said Grimaldi. Many Visitation girls have mothers who suffer or have suffered from this cancer. The best way to support these girls who have lost their mothers is to help support research and spread awareness of this disease.