On October 25, the Mansfield Legacy High School Teen Leadership student group hosted Pink Fest 2007 – Life Rocks in the gym. The group joined together with the school's step team, cheerleaders and various other performers to have a celebration of life as well as honor breast cancer survivors.
The event is was the conclusion of a month-long campaign to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research during October. The group's goal is $10,000 and they have held various fundraisers including selling Pink Fest t-shirts, pink bracelets, candy, and even worked at a local fast-food restaurant for tips.
 A group of breast cancer survivors, or “warriors” as the student group chose to call them, were invited as special guests to attend the pep rally.
“I thought this would be a great service project for my students,” said Teen Leadership teacher, Dena Schimming. “I had no idea how they would grab on to it and take off. This pep rally was completely their idea.”
[In their words]
“Pink Fest has been such an inspirational time and amazing experience for me and my family. On numerous occasions I have been greatly affected by this horrid disease of breast cancer. My grandmother, mom and aunts as well as other distant relatives have had a tough battle, yet showed superior strength that many healthy people have a hard time realizing they have. It's honorable and shows such gratitude that so many people have come together and help support each other to find a cure. The thanks I have and want to give is unconditional and unexplainable. It really means a lot.”
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“As a person who has been personally affected by cancer, Pink Fest has been such an awesome and unforgettable experience. To have so many young adults express care for the victims and survivors of breast cancer, and dedicate so much of their time to help in some way speaks volumes for the future.”
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“Since my mom has cancer, Pink Fest has shown how much support there is from people that may or may not be affected.”
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“I think Pink Fest has helped me get more involved at Legacy, and has raised my awareness of other people's struggles.”
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“Pink Fest has made me realize how hard it is to fight breast cancer. While I was creating one of the dances for Pink Fest, the effort that my class gave was inspiring.”
This year, more than 200,000 women and men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will lose their lives to this disease. A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 3 minutes. Every 13 minutes, the disease claims another life (Susan G. Komen Foundation). |
