Students from the Department of Radiologic Sciences raised more than $2,500 for Susan G. Komen For the Cure during their Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser the week of October 16, 2011.

What started as a small, annual tradition of Adventist University employees paying $5 to wear jeans and a pink t-shirt to work during fundraiser Friday turned into a full-blown bake sale, raffle, and penny fundraiser thanks to Leslie Whalley, second-year radiologic sciences major.

“Our profession sees lots of women get diagnosed or treated for breast cancer,” Whalley said. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly one in eight women undergo the experience at some point in their lives. Through the fundraiser, the department hoped to increase awareness about breast cancer risk, prevention, and detection, as well as raise money for research.

Though radiologic sciences students were not required to get involved, nearly all of them did, said Deena Slockett, co-chair of the Department of Radiologic Sciences. “You only had to ask them once and suddenly they were showing up saying, ‘What can I do? I can come before class, I can come after class,’” Slockett said.

The participation—both of volunteers and bake sale patrons—surprised everyone, and helped the department surpass their original goal of raising $500. But the bake sale did even more than that; it provided an opportunity for breast cancer survivors at the University to share their stories and offer encouragement to others. By the end of the week, a large pink ribbon bore the names of 37 members of the University family who have battled the disease, in some cases winning, in some cases paying with their lives.

The spirit of the fundraiser, Slockett said, is right in line with the University’s mission. “We always teach students that though they may not be able to cure people, they can still serve them.”

By Rainey Park