From the moment they heard Shannon Wilson was diagnosed with breast cancer, her students just wanted to help.
They thought about donating money, but weren’t initially sure how. They wound up organizing the school’s first Breast Cancer Awareness Month recognition.
“This cause can really make a difference,” Wilson said. “It is a good cause because at some point cancer will touch a lot of kids’ lives. Everyone is touched in some way, and this helps to not make them so afraid of it.”
Throughout October, Stuco has worked to put together fundraisers and events to raise awareness. In honor of their teacher and anyone else affected by breast cancer, students organized a “pink out” for the Oct. 15 football game. Virtually all the students and parents in attendance wore pink. Going along with the crowd, the coaching staff, including coach Dirk Wedd, was clad in pink.
Stuco also had a tie dying party after school and kissing booth at lunch. They sold buttons, ribbons and T-shirts. Wilson’s sewing classes have even pitched in by making headbands for the pink-out game.
“It shows how great and supportive our staff and student body are,” senior Grace Bova said. “It’s a really important cause to promote awareness about, and we are happy to show support for Ms. Wilson and anyone else affected by breast cancer.”
Wilson is excited about the results from the pink-out game and sales.
“This cause helps make strides and helps better with treatment and survival rates because of all the funding,” Wilson said.
All the support, Wilson said, had been moving.
“The feeling is so hard to put into words — there are a lot of feelings,” she said. “There are feelings of gratitude for students, and personally, it has been humbling. I don’t know how to explain the feeling.”
Although she is the inspiration behind the pink out, Stuco has been the driving force behind all of the awareness events and sales. “I have just been open and willing to share my services,” Wilson said. “The kids have done everything. This cause has been on the radio and the newspaper.”
Breast cancer affects a wide range of women.  One in 231 women under the age of 40 will get breast cancer, according to Breastcancer.org. In addition, about one in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer during the course of her lifetime. It is estimated that 207,090 women will be diagnosed with the disease in this year alone.
“I don’t think the kids realize the impact it really makes awareness wise,” Wilson said. “This is not just an adult concern. It is for young people as well.”