Breast Cancer Awareness Week Dresses in Pink

Pink bras and tank tops embellished with statistics about breast cancer hang outside the Science Center as part of a number of events sponsored by the Harvard Cancer Society for a week dedicated to raising awareness.

In commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness Week, members of HCS will be manning tables in Annenberg Hall and House dining halls, where students can write postcards to remind relatives of the importance of regular mammograms.

Students will also have the opportunity to trace their hands and write inspirational messages on banners that will be presented later to cancer patients in hospitals.

In addition to the week-long series of activities, members of HCS will be selling pink t-shirts and black tank tops adorned with the logo “Save Second Base” at various locations on campus. All proceeds from the shirts benefit the American Cancer Society.

HCS hopes that students will wear the shirts this Friday, a day on which people worldwide will wear pink to show their support for breast cancer awareness.

“Our aims were to promote campus discussion about breast cancer and how we as young people can support breast cancer patients and their families,” said Nina Jain ’11, co-president of HCS.

The HCS-sponsored Breast Cancer Awareness Week is part of the nationwide celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place every October.

HCS is not the only organization on campus to promote breast cancer awareness in recent days. Harvard University Hospitality and Dining Services served cookies with pink frosting yesterday in support of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Athletes also showed their support. The Harvard players at last week’s Harvard-Yale volleyball game wore pink ribbons in their hair while their coaches sported pink sweaters.

Zachary J. Hofeld ’11, events co-chair of HCS, said that he was impressed by the work that this year’s members have put into making the week a success.

“I remember my freshman year here at Harvard, I don’t think there was a breast cancer awareness week, and then my sophomore year there was, but it was hardly visible,” Hofeld said. “This year we...got a group of dedicated people who were passionate about [HCS], and we all just a came together and made it happen.”

Nat J. Miller ’14, who stopped to sign his name as he was leaving Annenberg, described the banner as an easy way to show his support for breast cancer awareness.

“It took 15 seconds, and it’s a nice thing to do that didn’t take too much effort,” he said.