CSUDH Group Delta Sigma Theta Shines a Spotlight on how students can gain knowledge for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
October shines as the focal point for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a symbol of resilience and unity. A Breast Cancer Awareness event is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at CSUDH.
The sisters of Delta Sigma Theta will host the event just outside the Loker Student Union. The sorority hopes the event will raise further awareness of the disease, and of course, help to support survivors and others who have been affected directly or indirectly by the disease.
The Women’s Resource Center and the Student Health Center will also be on hand at the event to provide information on services available on campus.
With the risk of developing breast cancer becoming significant, the National Foundation for Cancer Research reports that among women in the U.S., the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is 1 in 8 and for men, the risk is 1 in 833. The likelihood is significant, particularly for women, where it is notably heightened.
Senior psychology major Andrea Finnsburg was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, at the age of 23. The diagnosis put the brakes on her academic career and according to Finnsburg, it stopped her from being the “best mother” she could be to her children.
“It haunted my life at the time and truly affected my mental health and my ability to try for school,” said Finnsburg.
Finnsburg was trying to balance school, being a mother, and working a full-time job. Nevertheless, she affirms that during the challenging phase in her life, she held onto the symbol of the pink ribbon, confident that she could overcome any obstacle.
“Pink always rises to the occasion!” Finnsburg said.
The iconic pink ribbon Finnsburg refers to is a symbol created for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The National Breast Cancer Foundation explained that the pink ribbon was created as a symbol to raise awareness and emphasize that only “5 percent of yearly cancer funding” was directed towards breast cancer.
Finnsburg has now beaten the long-fought battle with breast cancer and is now cancer-free. Having triumphed over breast cancer, she expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming event.
“Having an event at CSUDH is beyond fantastic and it will truly provide the proper awareness that our school needs,” said Finnsburg.
Freshman criminal justice student Maria Side said her grandmother, aunt, sister, and mother have all had battles with breast cancer.
“I believe it’s amazing that the school is doing this event and there will be a lot of people attending because so many people have been affected with breast cancer in some drastic form,” Side said.
The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority stated that with their breast cancer awareness event, they would love to “propel society towards a future free from the clutches of breast cancer.”
The RSVP deadline for the event is Sunday, October 29th. The sorority stated that the deadline is a day before the event to ensure that attendees “don’t feel pressured” when securing their spot for the event.
