advertisement

College's ‘Breastival' a success

The inaugural "Breastival" was a real attention-grabber for students at Susquehanna University.

The name prompted interest among female and male students, and the message sustained that interest, according to Cheryl Stumpf of Susquehanna's counseling center.

Held Wednesday in Susquehanna's Degenstein Campus Center, the educational event was a collaborative effort between Evangelical Community Hospital, Susquehanna University's Health Center and several campus organizations.

Stumpf said the Breastival was planned to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month and complement the student health fair held each spring. She was talking with students about the correlation between breast cancer and binge drinking. Many students, she said, don't realize that alcohol consumption puts them at an increased risk for breast cancer.

"That's another reason we have these events, to let students know they're not immune," Stumpf said. "I challenge them to think about that."

Co-organizer Kathleen Funk of Evangelical Community Health Education said the Breastival is one event specifically geared toward young men and women. Most breast cancer events, like the annual Mammathon, are directed at women older than 40.

"With the new technology and early detection tools college-age students should be thinking about this," Funk said.

Jonathan Ng, a Susquehanna University junior from San Francisco, said he initially stopped when he saw one of the student groups making strawberry daiquiri "mocktails," but decided to stick around after talking with a nurse from Evangelical. Ng and Jimmy Weyant, a junior from Philadelphia, said they were surprised to learn that men are also at risk of developing a cancerous lump in breast tissue.

"I was under the assumption that we can't get breast cancer," Ng said.

"It's kind of scary," Weyant added.

Sophomore Jillianne Clark of Altoona said she stopped at the Breastival to talk with a friend, but also decided to stay and visit each table after learning that breast cancer isn't something only older women should worry about.

"I didn't really think about it before," Clark said. "This opened my eyes."

Billie Jo Day, a nurse with the Thyra Humphreys Center for Breast Health, said, "The main thing I'm emphasizing with this age group is the importance of self-breast examination to get to know your body."

Day added she was pleased to see so many male students showing an interest - some even stopped by the table to learn how to check for lumps on a simulated breast.

She said breast cancer education is important for men to make them aware of their own risk and so they can be informed for the women in their lives.

"It's something that everyone wonders about but nobody talks about," she said.

Ann Miller of the local BrCa chapter, a breast cancer advocacy group, said she hopes the students will walk away from the event and be able to recognize the importance of early detection.

"More than anything they're learning, and they want to know," she said.

Students who registered answered a question at each station and were entered into a drawing for prizes at the end of the three-hour event.

Members of Zeta Tau Alpha, whose philanthropy project is raising money for breast cancer education and research, were on hand to share what they've learned about breast cancer with their fellow students.

The sorority will hold its second annual Pancakes for Pink fund-raiser from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Selinsgrove Community Center.

Other student groups participating in the event were SPARC (Students Promoting Awareness and Responsible Choices) and WomenSpeak.

Funk said she hopes to make the Breastival an annual event and organize them at other area colleges.

Contact Pam Dailey at 570-742-9671 or pam@standard-journal.com.

The Standard-Journal