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Breast Cancer Awareness Month is Just Around the Corner, See What Events, Fundraisers Are Planned

By Rebecca Mullins

Oct. 1, 2013. October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is here! And while some are still finalizing what they can do to help, many companies and groups have already made plans for spreading the word and raising money to support those with Breast Cancer.

Listed are a few of the activities you can participate in to help breast cancer awareness. More detailed explanations can be found in the paragraphs following.

  • On Oct. 16, Appalachian Regional Healthcare facilites holds what they call “Pink Day.” This event will last from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Cannon Memorial Hospital’s lobby and from 2 to 4 p.m. in Watauga Medical Center’s auditorium.
  • On Oct. 19, Doc’s Rocks will be hosting a raffle for a 345-carat natural Brazilian emerald. The drawing occurs at 5 p.m. Tickets cost $20 and all proceeds go to the Cancer Patient Emergency Fund, a fund where every penny goes to breast cancer patients.
  • On Oct. 25, Colleges Against Cancer on Appalachian State University’s campus has organized a 5K nighttime Glow Run. The run begins at 7 p.m. on ASU’s Sanford Mall. The registration fee is $20 and goes to Colleges Against Cancer where it will be divided up and sent back out into the community for cancer patients and cancer research.
  • On Oct. 28, Come Back Shake is donating a percentage of their funds to Zeta Tau Alpha’s philanthropy fund, Breast Cancer Education and Awareness, but only if you tell the cashier you’re there for Zeta Tau Alpha’s philanthropy.

Pink Ribbon 2

The Appalachian Regional Healthcare System hosts the second event for Breast Cancer Awareness: Pink Day. 

On this day, all ARHS personnel will be wearing pink for breast cancer awareness. Then, at the Cannon Memorial Hospital and Watauga Medical Center refreshments will be served to the public during the times listed above.

Doc’s Rocks is holding the next event, which is Randy “Doc” McCoy’s annual raffle.

Throughout the year, Doc tallies the money he receives for cutting all rose quartz, the Breast Cancer Awareness gemstone. Then, after the raffle, he makes a check out to the Cancer Patient Emergency Fund containing all the proceeds from the rose quartz and the raffle. 

“Since my sister passed in 2007, we’ve donated over $40,000,” Doc told us.

This year, he’s shooting to add $6,000 to that total.

Emerald
Picture by Randy “Doc” McCoy

During the raffle, gift cards from local businesses and 10 gemstones from Doc’s private collection will be given out every hour. Then, at 5:00 p.m. the grand prize will be raffled off, a 345-carat natural Brazilian emerald. Most Emerald’s average 6 carats. This one is a rare find and a museum grade piece.

The emerald can be seen on display at Doc’s Rocks where, incidentally enough, you can pick up a ticket or two for the raffle. Tickets are also available at the Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center. 

The 5K Glow Run hosted by ASU’s Colleges against Cancer group will be our second to last event. The run will be held on Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:00 p.m.

“Last year relay for life raised about $60,000, so when we started this year we were thinking ‘how we can boost that number?’” said Kelsey Boosman, ASU’s Colleges against Cancer Relay for Life Chair. 

The solution: have two runs, the Relay for Life in April and the 5K Glow Run in October.

This run is a glow in the dark 5K run beginning and ending at Sanford Mall on ASU’s campus. A specially designated path, created with the help of the ASU police department, does not cross any roads. 

If you register by Oct. 8, you will receive a t-shirt at the run. Registration for the event can be found online on the event’s Facebook page.

Colleges against Cancer will also sell t-shirts promoting breast cancer awareness throughout October. 

Lastly, Zeta Tau Alpha has partnered with Come Back Shack for Oct. 28 so that anyone who requests it can have a part of their bill can be sent to Zeta Tau Alpha’s Philanthropy Foundation. It won’t cost you anything extra to donate to the fund, so make sure you tell the cashier of your intention when you order food from Come Back Shack on that day.

Zeta Tau Alpha has also partnered with Yoplait yogurt for the months of September and October, while the yogurt has their pink lids campaign, “Save Lids to Save Lives.” For each lid redeemed online or by mail, Yoplait will donate 10c to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, known for their race for the cure. 

Theses are great opportunities for giving to the community and those struggling through a disease that nearly everyone is affected by, whether personally or through a loved one. Come out to any or all of these events and make a difference in someone’s life.