Breast Cancer has been affecting people, no matter someone’s age, looks, religion, etc. for more than 3,500 years. To this day there is still no natural cure. Doctors have only been able to create treatments to help the symptoms and keep the patients alive just a bit longer. 

Breast Cancer affects women all over the world, even men, no matter their condition. It does occur more in women than men. A lot of people don’t clearly understand what Breast Cancer is; cells form in the breasts causing a lump. 

Symptoms people can diagnose for themselves are: a breast lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding areas, change in size, shape or appearance, changes to skin over the breast, peeling, scaling, crusting or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the areola and redness or pitting of the skin over the breast (like an orange). 

Breast cancer is caused when breast cells begin to grow abnormally. The cells divide more rapidly, accumulating forming a lump of mass. The cells can spread throughout the body. Doctors did estimate that about 5-10 percent of breast cancers are linked to gene mutations that have been passed down from family member to family member.

Breast cancer is a huge risk to people. There are different stages, one through four meaning four is the worst and one is the least harmful. The list for Breast Cancer warnings is long. For example, women begin their period below the age of 12 then they have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. If women have children after 30 then they also have a higher risk of breast cancer. 

National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc has estimated 287,500 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in women during 2022 and 43,550 women will die. One in eight women in the US will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. The five year relative survival rate is 99 percent. 

Senior Levi Perry-South supports the Breast Cancer Awareness Movement at SCHS. To show his support, he colored his hair pink.

“I went pink to support my family,” Levi said. “My aunt currently has breast cancer.”

The movement of dying his hair pink this year was a family decision between his father, his sister and himself. 

“This year was the first year of dying my hair pink because I finally had the opportunity to do so,” Levi said. “My family supported my decision and proved it by doing it with me.”

Freshman Makenna South dyed her hair pink with her brother and father. She currently has two aunts with breast cancer and wanted to show her appreciation for them by joining the movement at SCHS.

“My family on both sides motivated me into dying my hair pink,” Makenna said. 

Makenna South is the half sister of Levi Perry-South who was also in the family decision. It was her first year of dying her hair pink just like her half brother.

“This is my first year dying my hair pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” she said.

Sophomore Mateo Chang has a great aunt currently diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

“I support Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but that’s not the only reason I dyed my hair pink,” Chang said.

Chang dyed his hair pink to get something different in his life. The pink dye is shaped like a spider web for Halloween.

Senior Jocelyn Pass dyed her hair pink specifically for the Breast Cancer Awareness Movement in SCHS. Her grandma passed away three years ago due to breast cancer.

“My grandma was my motivation for dying my hair pink this year,” Pass said.

This is her first year dying her hair due to the fact she hasn’t had an opportunity until this year. 

“I decided to dye my hair so I did it alone this year. Hopefully next year more students will want to be a part of the movement,” Pass said.

Junior Finn Williams dyed his hair pink for Breast Cancer Awareness despite the disapproval from his family. His family did not want him bleaching his hair because bleach kills the hair, too much bleach fries it. But despite the odds Williams wanted to support the Breast Cancer Awareness Movement at SCHS.

“My friends motivated me and my family with breast cancer played a huge part,” Williams said.

Williams dyed his hair for his great aunt who has breast cancer and wanted to show his support and love he’s got for her. His support for his great aunt and anyone with breast cancer is demonstrated by his neon pink hair.

Junior Torin Silverberg participated in the Breast Cancer Awareness Movement at SCHS for the first time in his life this year. 

“This is my first year dying my hair pink because I’m trying to be a better person,” Silverberg said.

Silverberg has some family members who’ve gotten past breast cancer, so he knows first hand how hard it can be living with cancer.

“My family had it before so that was my motivation,” Silverberg said.

Silverberg decided to dye his hair alone for breast cancer awareness month.