2008 Woodie Awards
Breast Cancer Walk
Katelyn Ferrucci
Issue date: 10/19/06 Section: News
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"Thank you all so much for coming!" she said. "Now who's ready to walk?"
On Oct. 5, more than 320 people participated in the 11th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk at WPU. Walk for the Cure is not simply a fundraiser for breast cancer; it is an attempt to raise awareness on campus about breast cancer and the seriousness of the disease. Students, faculty, staff and members of neighboring communities came together and raised more than $4,100, the largest donation since the event began 11-years-ago.
The walk began outside Wightman Gym and continued for three miles around the main campus of the University. Hilberg, who organizes the event every year, walks the course with each group and does her best to keep them motivated.
"Along the trail, there are easels that have breast cancer facts on them," Hilberg said. "I don't want people to just donate some money and walk a little; I want them to learn something and really feel like they're doing a good thing."
Hilberg was moved by the participants.
"Many of the women walking have been personally affected by this disease and it is wonderful to see them here doing their part to help," she said.
WPU's women's basketball, volleyball, softball and tennis teams all had groups participating in the event. The biggest group, totaling nearly 70 people, was the Filipino American Cultural Entity.
The Child Development Center even brought the children out to participate in the walk. Though the children had a very elementary view of the cause, they still knew they were doing a wonderful thing.
"When I'm sick, my mommy helps make me better," said one child. "If someone else's mommy is sick, I am helping them get better."
Other WPU organizations came together to support the cause as well.
The Department of Recreational Services, Department of Health & Wellness, Campus Activities and the Women's Center were just some of the organizations that helped out this year.
"The increased support from the University over the years has increased our success greatly," said Hilberg. "In our first year, we raised about $50; our grand totals have done nothing but increase since then."
Hilberg also described the success of selling breast cancer awareness t-shirts.
"Three years ago we decided to start selling shirts for $5," she said. "We raised $1,000 that year, last year we raised $2,300 and this year we're breaking $4,000; it's an incredible feeling to know that we're making this much of an impact."
Donations from the walk go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the northern New Jersey affiliate. The foundation was founded in honor of Susan G. Komen, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1978 and died at 36.
According to the foundation's official website, www.komen.org, "The Komen Foundation is about people; people who are committed to making a difference to put an end to breast cancer."
Hilberg said that this foundation was chosen because the donations go to local breast cancer patients for their treatments and therapy.
For more information on breast cancer, visit the American Breast Cancer Foundation, www.abcf.org, or the Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization, www.y-me.org.
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