Kharynton Allen
MC201/Staff writer
With umbrellas and rain jackets, Jackson State University students did not let the rain stop them at the 2019 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Hundreds of community members and JSU students from various organizations came out to raise awareness, make donations, celebrate survivors and remember lost loved ones.
The annual Making Strides of Central Mississippi walk was held on Oct. 26, in downtown Jackson in collaboration with the American Cancer Society
The organizations included but were not limited to the W.E.B. DuBois-Harvey Honors College, the JSU chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the JSU chapter of the NAACP, the JSU cheerleaders, and more.
The American Cancer Society’s mission is to essentially remove cancer as a major health issue.
With this 5K non-competitive walk, the goal is to raise money to give back to the society to fund research, treatment, education, and much more.
KiJana Roberts, president of JSU NAACP, said that he has been coming to the walk ever since his freshman year and he wanted to keep the tradition alive.
“We came the first year, came the second year, and I was like ‘what’s going to stop us from supporting this year under my administration’. I supported when I wasn’t president and I’m definitely going to support while I am president. I am just glad to have everyone backing me behind it,” said Roberts, a junior journalism and media studies major.
“Seeing Jackson State represented at the walk reflected well on the university,” Roberts added.
Breast Cancer awareness is a major cause that impacts thousands everywhere, including the students, faculty and staff at JSU. Statistically, one in eight women will develop breast cancer. Not to mention that though rare, men can also develop breast cancer.
Breast cancer hit close to home for one student who participated in the walk.
Gregory Smith, a senior elementary education major from Jackson, Miss. stated, “My mom is a ten-year breast cancer survivor and so each year since she had breast cancer, we come out here and walk.”
As the cause hits home for him, Smith was also supported by his fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
“Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. is all about cultural service and service to humanity and so this is our way of giving back to the community and helping make sure that we find a cure to breast cancer,” said Smith.
Other chapters of Jackson State University’s Greek organizations came out to support the walk as well.
The event was also a great opportunity for students to gain community service towards their 120 hours needed to graduate. The purpose of the hours is to give students a sense of giving back to the community. JSU students showing up no matter the weather makes a point that the purpose is getting through to students.
David Bernard, a sophomore political science major from Jackson, Miss., and member of the W.E.B. Dubois Honors College also represented his support for breast cancer awareness.
“It is just a blessing to see everyone come out and really just support the movement and fuel the movement for curing breast cancer,” said Bernard.
Bernard stated that he enjoys seeing the unity at the walk between age, class, and race.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not counting some kinds of skin cancer, breast cancer in the United States is—
- The most common cancer in women, no matter your race or ethnicity.
- The most common cause of death from cancer among Hispanic women.
- The second most common cause of death from cancer among white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.
In 2016, the latest year for which incidence data are available, 245,299 new cases of Female Breast Cancer were reported, and 41,487 women died of Female Breast Cancer in the United States. For every 100,000 women, 124 new Female Breast Cancer cases were reported and 20 died of cancer.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. One of every four deaths in the United States is due to cancer.
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