Fifteen Student Nurses Association (SNA) members set out to Make Strides Against Breast Cancer on October 24, 2009 in Brevard county. The SNA at UCF’s Cocoa campus organized a team to participate in the American Cancer Society’s 5K Walk to benefit breast cancer research. The team raised $2,090.
For some, this walk held special purpose. “There are actually a lot of SNA members who have friends or relatives who have fought breast cancer,” said Kelly Sullivan, the group’s president. “One student in particular, Danielle Simmons, raised over $1,000 on her own through family donations due to the fact that her entire family has been affected in some way by breast cancer.”
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC) events are non-competitive walks uniting people of all ages with a common goal – to fight breast cancer and save lives. In 2008, Making Strides events raised over $60 million nationwide for breast cancer research.
“There were over 4,000 people walking in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Viera that day, and you just couldn’t help but feel a part of something remarkable,” Sullivan added. “We were all there to support this one cause and to help provide funding to find a cure for breast cancer. This event just showed me how many people are truly affected by this disease.”
Participants customized shirts to wear during the walk. In order to personalize the experience, they were able dedicate a message to someone they know who has been affected by the disease. The nationwide event, created by the American Cancer Society, was held in several counties in every state across the nation. Thanks to the hard work of the participants and the generosity of the community members, the 5K walk in Brevard county raised $360,000.
Article by: Heather Robbins, communications intern