The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. According to breastcancer.org, one in eight women suffer from Breast Cancer. “You never know when or if Breast Cancer will affect you, or someone you love,” junior Virginia Hernandez said. “So, it is always a good to show your support for those who do have this disease.”

In 2016, an estimated 246,660 new cases of invasive breast cancer (when cancer cells from inside the milk ducts or lobules break out into nearby breast tissue) are expected to be diagnosed in women in America, along with 61,000 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer. That being said, however, death rates have been decreasing since 1989. The decrease is thought to be the result of treatment advances, such as earlier detection through screening. “It really means a lot to not only me but everyone else who knows someone that has dealt with Breast Cancer,” Hernandez said. “I cannot stress enough how much it means to see someone doing something as simple as wearing a pink shirt when you know someone who has battled this disease.”

To help spread awareness, the school made sure to include ‘pink out’ as one of the Spirit Week days. This pink out represents much more than just Breast Cancer Awareness to some students, and it also has helped students who have had family members affected by the disease. “Just as much as any other cancer, breast cancer can be terrifying,” junior Kaemon Watada said. “My heart personally goes out to those battling this. That is why I participate in things like wearing pink to show that people do care.”