Life hands a person a hardship. What should the person do: rise up to the challenge of perseverance or admit defeat from the get-go? This is the decision a lot of men and women face when their doctors tell them the earth-shattering news of being diagnosed with cancer. In an effort to make this horrendous life event as less pivotal as possible, people of the community should learn the ins and outs of breast cancer.

The Center for Leadership and Service (CLS) saw the need of college students being well-informed individuals and hosted Breast Cancer Awareness Month Kickoff in the atrium of the Miron Student Center (MSC) on Thursday, October 1, 2015.

“Foot Prints” banner where students dipped baby shoes in pink paint and place the print on a cloth banner
Ojilvis Nunez l The Cougar’s Byte

At the event there were many activities, including: a mammogram test where students could try to find the five lumps; “Foot Prints” banner, which had students dip baby shoes in pink paint and place the print on a cloth banner in honor or memory of anyone they knew that has been affected; and “Wall of Hope” message board where encouraging thoughts were written.

"Wall of Hope” message board where encouraging thoughts were written
Jailene Burgos l The Cougar's Byte

One of the activities was a trivia wheel. A student would spin the wheel and which slot it landed on would determine the sort of question the student would be asked. “Most people don’t know the [fundamental facts] of breast cancer, such as only women get breast cancer, which isn’t true at all,” commented Daisha Davis, senior elementary education major and CLS service specialist.

Davis also shared that majority of the people who participated in the trivia activity were not aware that individuals can get breast cancer even if there was no family history. “It’s not just heredity, everything contributes to breast cancer—smoking, if a person lives a healthy lifestyle…”

Terrance Somesla-Mccornell is walking for his brother's, Cody, mom
Emily Gabriel l The Cougar's Byte

One important fact all women should know is when they should have clinical breast exams and mammogram appointments. A clinical breast exam is when a woman’s doctor inspects the patient’s breasts, looking for any abnormal changes. A mammogram is an x-ray that is able to detect any changes, specializing in changes that are too small to feel. Women from the age of 20 to 39 are expected to have a clinical breast exam every 1 to 3 years. A lot of women wonder when they should begin their annual mammograms. Once a woman turns 40 years old, she should have a mammogram performed every year.

Women should make it a point to perform self-exams when between mammogram appointments. Who knows a woman’s best than herself? By doing a breast self-exam a woman will be able to notice any change in her breasts and possible detect the signs of breast cancer. Although noticing any changes or finding a lump doesn’t necessarily constitute breast cancer, it’s significant enough to warrant an appointment with a doctor.

All women are advised to examine their breasts once a month. There are three exam techniques: in the shower, in front of a mirror, and lying down. With all three exam, women are to pay close attention to any lumps, thickened breast tissue, skin color or texture changes, dimples, or dark discharge from the nipple.

To perform a shower exam, a woman is to use her fingers to prod the breast and armpit area in a circular motion. Similar to the shower exam, the lying down technique has a woman lie down on her back with a pillow under her right shoulder and her right arm behind her head. With the other hand she will then gently prod her right breast and armpit in circular motions. She then must gently squeeze the nipple to check for discharge, lumps or any changes. These steps are to be repeated on the left breast. The mirror exam has a woman visually examine her breasts. A woman should inspect her breast first with both her arms at her sides and then raise both arms high above her head. With her arms still in the air, she should see if there is any swelling, dimpling, or changes on the breast, nipple, or armpit area. The last step of the mirror exam is for the woman to firmly press both palms on her hips, once again looking for dimpling or any other changes.

Some of the many students having fun during the breast cancer kick off
Emily Gabriel l The Cougar’s Byte

As October is designated National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the CLS is dedicating its time and effort to raise awareness and collect donations; all funds will be donated to the American Center Society.

Abibat Balogun, coordinator for community engagement, commented, “[We] want people to be more than aware, to know the details, to truly understand the disease.”

All individuals are encouraged to make a donation for breast cancer research, which is being accepted in the CLS office in MSC room 219. The CLS is also selling t-shirts for $10 and hoodies for $25 that each say “Kean Blue Thinks Pink.” These are available for purchase all through October in MSC room 219.

Some of the many students having fun during the breast cancer kick off
Emily Gabriel l The Cougar's Byte

Thanks to the efforts of the CLS, throughout campus anyone walking around may see little hints of breast cancer awareness; including hand painted rocks displaying positive messages and the lights turned pink on the New Jersey Center for Science, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) build. Students and staff are giving meaning to the words “Kean Blue Thinks Pink”.

Even K9 unit Gunner joined the breast cancer kick off
Jailene Burgos l The Cougar's Byte