In the United States, October is dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness. Breast Cancer directly affects one out of every eight women, yet so many more family members and friends are affected due to this life-threatening disease. It is every community’s job to show support to the many people affected.

Southeast is making an effort to use this dedicated month of awareness to let the students and staff at the school know that no one is alone in whatever battle they might be going through related to Breast Cancer. 

This year, the Student Council is dedicating a week of awareness towards not only Breast Cancer, but all cancers. The effort starts Oct. 24 and runs through the week. 

“Each day is going to be a different color representing that cancer,”  StuCo member Kennedy Bahm (grade 10) said.  “We want all the student body to wear the colors.”

Involving the school community in this effort to support Breast Cancer, as well as all other kinds of cancer, is so important when this disease affects all people in so many different ways. 

“It helps people express their concern or love for that person,” Bahm said. 

Along with StuCo, the school’s spirit squads have come up with fun and creative ways to acknowledge the month and its meaning. 

The Shirettes Dance Team has members personally affected by not only Breast Cancer, but other types of cancer. This year Anna Walters (grade 12), the Fundraising and Involvement Coordinator, has helped her team get involved in a Breast Cancer Walk to raise money for the cause.

“The walk is meant to raise money to support Breast Cancer by signing up and paying $20 in order to be a part of the walk,” Walters said. “This shows our support for the community and that we truly want to get involved. It also helps the people affected know that we are there to support them and that it’s not something they’re going through alone.”

During all of October, Varsity cheer has been reaching out to the student body in hopes of involving everyone in supporting Breast Cancer Awareness by selling pink-ribbon face tattoos. 

“The main motive has been to donate to families who have a family member that has been diagnosed with cancer and are struggling to pay bills, buy groceries, gas and more. Some people can’t afford both cancer treatment and mortgage payments so we really wanted to help support them anyway we could,” Stasia Garrison (grade 12) said. 

The more people can do to show anyone affected that they are not alone with what they are going through, the better.

LSE’s dedication to this month and its meaning is stronger than ever. Not only do the efforts made around LSE support the cause at hand, but they also bring awareness to the overlooked hardships that those who are affected by it struggle with. 

“These actions help increase our knowledge about what families affected by cancer have to go through everyday,” Garrison said. 

Cancer is something that hurts many, and most people see it as something to mourn. In true form, cancer survivors and families need to be recognized and celebrated for the battles they have faced, and people need to be informed about the ways they can contribute to those successes.