Posted 10/08/2007
 

Arnold School organizing team to
support Palmetto Health South Carolina Comprehensive
Breast Center  

The Arnold School of Public Health is recruiting a team for the Oct. 7 First Ladies' Walk for Life, one of the Midlands’ largest charity events in support of the Palmetto Health South Carolina Comprehensive Breast Center.

Organizers hope to build on the success of last year’s event which drew a crowd of 10,800 walkers, more than 600 breast cancer survivors and raised $349,000, said Beth Poteat Blackmon, director of service line support at the Palmetto Health Foundation.

The 2006 walk comes as researchers at Johns Hopkins’ Kimmel Cancer Center announced recent discoveries linked with breast and colon cancers—developments that could lead to more precise cancer diagnoses and new, targeted treatments. 

Importantly, this research actually involved tissue samples donated by Palmetto Health patients. Click here for additional details.

As for the Walk for Life, the three-mile event will begin at Finlay Park, located behind the U.S. Post Office on Assembly Street between Laurel and Taylor Streets. Registration opens at 8 a.m. under the flagpole near the Taylor Street entrance. The opening ceremony is at 8:30 a.m. with the walk beginning at 9 a.m., rain or shine.

“Even if you are unable to participate in the walk, please support the cause by making a donation,” said Lauren Vincent, captain of the Arnold School’s walking team.

“Pink ribbon cards may be purchased in memory or honor of a loved one and will be displayed in the hallway of the Health Sciences Building.  Ribbon cards are available from DSAC members or the office of student and alumni services (HESC 112),” Vincent said. The pink ribbon cards cost $3 and may be purchased until Oct. 6.

Supporters also can donate $20 which covers the Walk for Life registration fee, a team t-shirt (with the Arnold School logo) and a Pink ribbon card. Deadline for the $20 gift is Sept. 14.

South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford and Columbia First Lady Beth Coble say the walk is one way that participants can honor those who have survived or lost their battle with breast cancer. 

For more information:

   • Lauren Vincent, Arnold School team captain

   • Registration form

Breast Cancer:
One woman's story

The Arnold School has at least five breast cancer survivors, including Olga Ogoussan who has had two bouts with the dreaded disease.

Ogoussan is a native of Benin, West Africa. She is working on her doctorate in public health

 “As a survivor and living with this disease, I see this walk as an important tool to raise awareness about early detection that increases the odds of survival, raise money to continue research that would lead to the cure of this disease, and lastly, this walk is a supporting tool that let me know I am not left alone to face this struggle and it is empowering to me," she said.

"Going through cancer in general and breast cancer in particular is a difficult experience. Even though more and more lives are being saved, it remains a disease that can take you through the paths of unbelievable fear and loneliness and I don’t know if any of us survivors and/or family members can go through it without support.

"Walk For Life is one of those support systems out there that let us know people care and people are joining us in the fight against breast cancer and at the same time remembering the ones we lost to this disease and making every effort possible so that our daughters will not have to go through this difficult experience and more lives would be saved.

"I know what I am talking about because I come from a country where you have to go in hiding when you are diagnosed with cancer and there is no support system, no up to date treatments. Here, it is a different story and I take this opportunity to thank the people organizing and supporters/participants of this walk. What they are doing really matters.”