Masuk Free Press

October is international Breast Cancer Awareness month. While most people know this, many do not look further than the sports teams that wear pink socks and jerseys, and all the pink-themed fundraisers. 

There is a reason why a whole month is dedicated to this disease; over 250,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. This pink filled month can often outshine the actual reason why awareness is being spread. While everyone is excited to bring out their pink-pride, many do not acknowledge the cause it represents. 

Breast cancer takes so much from us, so many lives, and so much time with loved ones. That is why we need to raise awareness, and money, to save not just the people we love, but as many lives as we can. These fundraisers go towards something bigger. When you donate money at a Breast Cancer Awareness game for our school, you are doing it to support those who have been affected by it, but it is much more than just fundraisers. Breast cancer is a very serious disease, which people know, but the awareness that we currently spread is not enough. All of the streamers, balloons, pink ribbons, and bake sales are great for raising awareness and raising money to help the people we love, but we need to do more. Breast cancer is known worldwide, but is the world really aware of this horrible disease? 

In schools, sports teams dedicate special nights to recognizing breast cancer. They do other fundraisers to raise money, and wear pink jerseys or decorate the field and their uniforms in an attempt to battle against this disease. 

Here at Masuk, our fall sports advocate for Breast Cancer Awareness every year. Our very own Masuk sports host many teams on “Breast Cancer Nights” in order to play for something bigger than ourselves. We decorate, we raise money, we wear pink, but most of all, we play. We do not just play to win, we play to honor those who are not with us anymore, and we fight. We fight on the field, in order to support those fighting off of it. These Breast Cancer Awareness nights do not just mean a lot to us as students, they mean a lot to our community, specifically those battling breast cancer, and those with loved ones fighting it as well. 

In the fall, both boys and girls soccer, field hockey, girls volleyball, and the girls swim and dive team host these special nights. Hannah Dorney, one of the girls varsity soccer captains said, “These games help raise awareness about the disease and show support for those affected by breast cancer, especially those in our town of Monroe. Wearing pink during our pink out games helps create a sense of unity and support within the community.” 

However, wearing pink is not the only thing that these games do, like Dorney said, it brings the community together, showing one another that we are here for each other and that none of us are in this alone. “It is really important because it raises awareness for something bigger than ourselves. It teaches kids like us to care for people in our community and help out others in need and more specifically, cancer is something that does not just affect one person but so many lives, so shedding light on it and bringing awareness to it is really important.” Emma Cusa, a varsity field hockey captain, said.  Here, Emma touches on another aspect of why this awareness is so important, the youth. Kids growing up not just in Monroe, but around the world, may not understand the severity of breast cancer, or the importance of fighting it. 

By hosting these Cancer Awareness nights and having the community come to support the fight. We show kids and teens how important it is to fight against breast cancer. It teaches them that even if they are not directly affected by it, they should still come and support because it means a lot to those fighting for their lives against this horrible disease. 

“In relation to our sports it is a great opportunity to bring the school together and support a very important cause. The fundraisers help those in need, providing these families who are struggling with an extra boost of hope and strength, giving them that extra step.” said senior Hannah Fagan, a varsity girls volleyball captain. The fundraising aspect is just as important as the awareness portion of these games. Funds go to different families affected by breast cancer, and the money that we raise helps them greatly. 

Every year, our sports teams fight for something bigger than any championship. They fight for those struggling with something that is not talked about enough. Breast cancer takes the lives of over 40,000 people yearly in our country, and that is because we are not doing enough. We can hold more fundraisers, show more support, but most of all, fight harder. If we can fight on the field for a goal or a point on the volleyball courts, we can fight off the field for something bigger.