KU News Release

KU’s Breast Cancer Awareness Week to begin Saturday

Lawrence — The Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center at the University of Kansas will host its second Breast Cancer Awareness Week from Saturday, Sept. 29, to Sunday, Oct. 7.

The week’s events coincide with the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed every October.

“Breast Cancer Awareness is such an important issue to tackle because it’s a disease that can be a threat to anyone — men and women of any age, regardless of whether or not it’s genetic,” said Stefani Gerson, a KU graduate student and intern at the center.

She also said that one in eight women have been diagnosed with breast cancer, making the disease one that affects many in the KU and Lawrence communities, including Gerson.

“I am personally committed to this effort because a member of my family was affected by breast cancer and recently had their four year anniversary,” she said. “I was able to see the horrible disease firsthand all the way from the beginning of the diagnosis through chemotherapy and radiation to a remarkable four year anniversary. I hate the fact that everyone seems to have the same story, the fact that everyone seems to know someone who has been affected by this disease.”

The first ever Jayhawk Pink Classic softball tournament will kick off the week’s events on Saturday, Sept. 29. Tournament games will be played at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Arrocha Ballpark, and all proceeds from the event will go directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Greater Kansas City Affiliate. The Kansas softball team will play in the tournament as well as Emporia State University, Iowa Central University and Washburn University.

From 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 1, the public will have the chance to interact with women who have survived breast cancer as well as a medical professional who helps cancer patients fight the disease. The panel will be held in the Kansas Union’s Alderson Auditorium.

The second annual Jayhawk 5k Run/Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness will be the culmination of the week’s events on Sunday, Oct. 7. Offline registration for the race will begin at 1 p.m. and the race will begin at 2 p.m. at the Burge Union. For the first time, participants can now register prior to the race at www.myappleku.com.

Prizes from Apple will be available as well as free sports massages from the Chiropractic Experience following the race. A donation of $5 is requested to participate in the race and T-shirts will be available for purchase for an additional $5. All proceeds will benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Greater Kansas City Affiliate.

Additionally, information tables about breast cancer will be set up in the Kansas Union from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday of the week.

Gerson said she encourages the university and local community to support the efforts of Breast Cancer Awareness Week to help ensure that more people won’t be affected by the disease in the future.

“Every three minutes a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer,” she said. “Is there a better reason than that to come out and support Breast Cancer Awareness events?”

The week’s sponsors include Apple, the Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center, From the Inside Out, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Programs, the Panhellenic Association, Sigma Lambda Gamma and the Student Involvement and Leadership Center, a department within Student Success.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.