Poly Goes Pink

Amid an otherwise dreary gray day on October 20, the sun peeked out from the clouds as a crowd of 200, made up of students, faculty, and staff, put feet to pavement at the 10th annual Breast Cancer Walk, now called Poly Goes Pink.

The event raises awareness of the importance of early detection, recommended screenings, signs and symptoms of breast cancer, as well as honoring the breast cancer survivors within the campus community.

Students, faculty and staff were all decked out in some type of pink clothing, from sweatshirts to leggings, t-shirts, and sunglasses, the universally respected color expressing support for women with breast cancer.

Even Walter the Wildcat was in the spirit, dressed festively in a pink feather boa.

“The event is designed to raise awareness and educate participants about breast cancer as well as to honor those whose lives have been directly affected,” said Stacey Genther, Wellness Coordinator for SUNY Poly.

Following registration at the Multipurpose Room of the Student Center, participants hit the pavement in a sea of pink. Each one with a different history, background, and lives, but all coming together with one thing in common – they’ve all been impacted either personally, or through someone they know, by cancer.

“The bottom line is that the best protection is early detection when it comes to breast cancer,” said Genther. “Self breast exams, mammograms and becoming educated on the early warning signs of breast cancer is very important.”

Following the walk, which was sponsored by The Wellness Committee, the Alumni Association, Student Activities and the President’s Programming Initiative, participants gathered for a celebratory (and healthy) lunch while donated gifts and prizes colored in pink were given away.

The event wrapped with a speech by Dr. Jennifer Klimek-Yingling in the multipurpose room of the Student Center.

“Dr. Jennifer Klimek-Yingling completed her dissertation on working with survivors of breast cancer and sharing her findings fit perfectly with the goals set for our breast cancer awareness event,” Genther said. “Dr. Klimek-Yingling was able to share with participants first-hand experience from those locally whose lives have been affected by a diagnosis of breast cancer.”

The event wrap-up also featured a pre-made Poly Goes Pink video that can be seen here: