Campus turns out for 8th annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk

Lynne Browne knows first-hand the importance of breast cancer awareness.

After she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, a fellow staff member asked if a SUNYIT team could take part in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event in her honor. From there, the idea came about to do a walk on campus the Friday before the main Making Strides event. Eight years later, the campus event is going strong, bringing in money for the fight against breast cancer and keeping the fight on the minds of those taking part.

“Until they cure it, we still have to raise money for research and try to come up with a solution,” Browne said.

Campus support for the event has grown; on October 18 about a hundred walkers gathered at the Campus Center with one goal in mind – to raise money and awareness in the battle against breast cancer.

“Even if you’re not old enough to have a mammogram, you certainly have women in your life who need to be reminded to have one,” Peter Cittadino of the American Cancer Society told walkers. Funds raised by participants in the campus walk and the community Making Strides event go to research and items like wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatments, he said.

With pink ribbon balloons in hand and many wearing pink to show their support, students, faculty and staff walked from the Campus Center to Adirondack Hall and around the SUNYIT campus. Anthony Ragosta, a junior from Troy participated along with other members of the men’s baseball team. It’s a cause he’s come to hold very dear to his heart after the mother of his best friend died of cancer during Ragosta’s senior year of high school. Inspired, his school had a “Coaches vs. Cancer” baseball event, something that he brought to SUNYIT for the first time last year in an effort to continue raising awareness.

“I think everyone who shows up to this event, they’ve had someone in their lives affected by cancer,” Ragosta said. “If not, they will. So many people have been affected by it.”

The women’s soccer team took part in the event for the fourth year, said senior Jamie Elderbroom of Chittenango, because it helps them realize how fortunate some people have been to beat back cancer.

“I think some people forget about it going about their day-to-day, busy lives. It’s nice to take a step back, realize how lucky we are, how lucky survivors are,” Elderbroom said. “My great aunt had breast cancer. She’s a survivor. She was lucky enough to now be cancer free.”

“If teams take part, other athletes might step up and take part here as well as in their communities,” said Brittani Howell, a senior soccer player from Whitney Point who transferred to SUNYIT and has been taking part in the walk since she got to campus.

Some staff who took part in the event, like Mary Ann Peck, secretary in the development office, said they have a personal connection to the cause.

“I had a very dear and beautiful aunt who passed away from breast cancer 19 years ago. Also, I had many close friends, Lynne included, who are survivors. Right now my sister-in-law is going through treatment for breast cancer, so it means a lot to me,” she said. “I think it is important so that people become aware. I don’t think there’s anyone who does not know or love someone affected by this.”