October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and throughout the United States people have been wearing pink to raise awareness. Charlottesville High School even participated in bringing awareness by having students wear pink in a pink-out theme at school and during the football game on Friday, October 15. The National Breast Cancer Foundation is raising money to help support women with breast cancer who may not be able to afford treatment on their own. The money also goes towards women who may not be able to afford a mammogram, a crucial test women need to determine if they have breast cancer or not. How can Charlottesville High School students help raise awareness for this type of cancer- besides pink-out spirit days? Students can share links through social media that other people can use to donate to websites and GoFundMe’s or learn more about breast cancer. Donations go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation which helps detect early on breast cancer in women, making for a faster recovery, and potentially saving lives. Justin Jackson, a Charlottesville High School senior who feels passionate about raising awareness for breast cancer was interviewed, and here’s what he had to say:

Q: Why do you think it’s important that we bring awareness to breast cancer?

A: Breast cancer is a big deal for women and a large percentage of women get breast cancer suddenly and that’s really bad because they have to go through a lot, like chemo and mammograms and it’s a high-stress and painful experience for them. I think collectively as a society we should recognize how much they go through when they have to endure something as horrible as breast cancer.

Q: What are some ideas you have to raise more money and/or awareness to help women who can’t afford treatment for breast cancer?

A: We should definitely have more charities raising awareness because there are very small numbers of charities for breast cancer compared to other illnesses. I found out that we have more charities for AIDS research than breast cancer research. I don’t think that’s fair because both can cause high rates of death, which is why I think we should have more charities and advocates for breast cancer since we have a whole month dedicated to raising awareness.

Q: What made you so passionate about raising awareness for breast cancer?

A: When my grandmother was still alive she went through breast cancer about three times. I wasn’t there for it, but my family told me that she fell into a coma because of breast cancer. That’s really why I’m so passionate about raising awareness. 

Q: Have you been impacted by someone who’s had breast cancer or any type of cancer?

A: Even though I wasn’t alive for my grandmothers’ cancer my family went through a lot during that time, and they’ve shared stories with me of what my grandmother had to go through, and it’s inspired me to advocate for raising awareness for breast cancer.