SUNY Poly Goes Pink at annual walk

2016 Poly Goes Pink Participants stand outside the SUNY Poly Student Center in Utica (Photo: Lynne Browne)

It may have been late October, but the weather was more like late July, with temperatures around or above 80 degrees and sunny skies shining down as more than 200 students, faculty, and staff walked the campus together as part of the 11th annual Breast Cancer Walk, known today as 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.

“Raising awareness is important because you need people to talk about it,” said SUNY Poly Web Coordinator Lynne Browne, herself a breast cancer survivor and co-founder of the annual walk. “Through that awareness, if any of the students or anyone who takes part finds themselves a situation where they’re dealing with cancer, they’ll hopefully realize they’re not alone, that there are resources for them.”

Students, faculty, and staff walk the Utica Campus of SUNY Poly for Breast Cancer Awareness. (Photo: Lynne Browne)

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.

“Last year, Student Activities was invited to the table to help in the planning and implementation of Poly Goes Pink. The history of the event, and our campuses response to awareness and service-based initiatives, speaks volumes about the character of the folks who go to school and work here,” Napolitano said. “We certainly are a close-knit community, and Poly goes Pink highlights that. We recorded over 200 participants this year – a 40-person jump from last year. With the addition of educational games and a keynote speaker, this is becoming more than just a walk for support, but a resource for students, faculty, and staff to reference if they, or someone they know, begins their battle with breast cancer. Student Activities is glad to be a partner of the Wellness Committee in this amazing event!”

Students, faculty, and staff walk the Utica Campus of SUNY Poly for Breast Cancer Awareness. (Photo: Lynne Browne)

Following registration and a pre-walk bash 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.

“I was proud to walk with so many from the Poly community in honor of those afflicted with this horrendous disease, some of whom also walked,” said Richard ‘Rit; Fuller, Vice President for Enrollment Management. “Together we can make a difference.”

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.

“This was my first time to participate in the Poly goes Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Walk and I was really overwhelmed by the level of campus involvement.  It was so nice to see the young faces of the students,” said Audra Cornelius, Benefits Coordinator at SUNY Poly. “And we could not have been blessed with a more beautiful fall day.  I think that events like these really bring the campus together and help to unify us.”

Over those 11 years, more than $30,000 has been raised for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer initiative.