As National Breast Cancer Awareness Month winds down, St. Edmund Prep H.S., Sheepshead Bay, has once again rallied for the cause through a monthlong series of events to raise awareness and funds.
According to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death — after lung cancer — among women in New York City. Each year, more than 1,000 women in the city die from breast cancer, which can have no signs or symptoms.
Early detection can save lives, and that’s why the efforts of the student-athletes, coaches, faculty members, and the entire school community at St. Edmund’s are so important. Women should schedule a mammogram starting at age 40 or earlier, depending on any family history.
Starting in 2016, St. Edmund Prep teamed up with the Side-Out Foundation, a nonprofit charity organization, to raise funds for breast cancer research. Dubbed “Dig Pink,” the school’s monthlong activities support the foundation’s mission of working toward a cure.
Each year, an Eagles girls’ varsity volleyball player gets named the Dig Pink Ambassador and coordinates the activities. This year’s Dig Pink Ambassador was senior team captain and back row player Sienna James, who is also a member of the school’s varsity swim and softball teams.
James helped out last year’s ambassador Avangeline Greco, which motivated her to want to contribute more this year. Highlights from this month included a bake sale, T-shirt sales for a dress-down day, a 50/50 raffle, anti-bullying bracelets, and pink ribbon face painting. New this year was a raffle of two tickets to see country music sensation Zach Bryan in concert.
“The term ‘side out’ in volleyball means to regain control of the ball, so the Side-Out Foundation works to help people with breast cancer regain control of their lives,” said James, who has been grateful for the support of the athletics staff, faculty, and the school’s principal, Allison McGinnis. “Throughout the month of October and especially during volleyball season, we want to help raise money for the cause.”
The Dig Pink Ambassadors gain real-world planning skills that will undoubtedly help them in their journey to college and a professional career.
“It’s definitely empowering for the young ladies to see how they’re working independently,” said Danielle Johnson, a 2000 graduate of St. Edmund and the school’s co-athletic director. “We guide them, but we don’t do anything for them. They come up with the ideas.”
Johnson added that it’s great to see how much the ambassadors grow in such a short period of time.
“They’re thinking outside of the box, they’re figuring out how to get the student body involved,” she said, “and they’re spreading the word.”
In keeping with tradition, St. Edmund’s hosted its annual Dig Pink matches in which the Eagles junior varsity and varsity volleyball teams squared off against Brooklyn rival Bishop Loughlin H.S., Fort Greene, on Oct. 16. The matches were played on the newly renovated gymnasium floor and in front of fans on the new bleachers — marking the first Dig Pink day in the updated space.
There will also be a student vs. faculty volleyball match in November, supporting the cause of breast cancer.
The fundraiser set out with a goal of $7,000, which quickly increased to $10,000 after an enthusiastic show of early support. Every $2,000 allows Side Out to conduct research specifically for patients with metastatic breast cancer, the most advanced form of the disease and the least-funded area of research.
Every year, the St. Edmund Prep community valiantly supports this worthy cause, and their efforts show that breast cancer research and fundraising can be a yearlong initiative.
“Breast cancer is part of everyday life,” Johnson said. “Almost every month, you hear of somebody new being diagnosed. So it’s what can we do to help them.”