Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
October is a busy month for everyone. For students, it means midterms and big projects that must be completed in a few weeks time, and for Colorado State University, it means fall addresses and Homecoming week. But for those of us who have lost loved ones and experienced the tragedy breast cancer can cause, October is a month to remember and reflect.
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For some people, October is a month full of pink, remembrance and education surrounding breast cancer. But for many of us, it is just another month where we are tasked with millions of homework assignments and finding a Halloween costume. Because of the chaos, we often forget what else is represented during the month of October.
Over the past few years, some of our athletic teams have hosted a pink out night where fans are encouraged to wear pink and show their support for people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and people who have died from it. More often than not, the teams that hosted these pink out events were women’s teams. However, with the month nearly over and the shrinking number of home games where pink uniforms can be worn, there haven’t been any announcements or even recognition of the month.
It isn’t just sports teams that haven’t taken the time to bring attention to breast cancer awareness; the university as a whole hasn’t hosted a single event. Plus, the few sororities I’ve seen in the past handing out pink ribbons haven’t been out on The Plaza like usual.
So why is there nothing being done in support of the month, even something as simple as hosting an informative event for people on campus? It’s not much, but it demonstrates empathy, awareness and respect.
I understand the importance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month particularly because my family has been affected by breast cancer. I know that it’s sometimes difficult to bring awareness due to the sensitive nature of the subject, but I also recognize that more than 240,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
The more educated people are about breast cancer — either through education from their university, doctors or family — the higher the chance is that they could detect something early on. Breast cancer is something that about 13% of women are diagnosed with in their lifetime, which is why it’s something everyone should learn more about, especially as they reach the age when the risk of developing cancer increases. CSU seems to have taken a step back from doing something as simple as hosting a pink out game that would bring awareness to the issue.
Reach Dominique Lopez at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @caffeinateddee6.
