Grey clouds and cold rain might have made Ball State’s campus wet and gloomy, but that did not drown or dampen the spirit of students who gathered for a pink balloon release event to observe breast cancer awareness month.
Winners After Loss (WAL), a student organization that connects students who have dealt with the loss of a loved one, held this event to get students to share their stories in remembrance of those who died, survived or enduring breast cancer.
“Breast cancer isn’t just pink ribbons and no bra day,” said Natalie Pierce, a freshman in pre-medicine and psychology. “It’s hair loss, nausea, vomiting, sweating. It’s not pretty.”
The event, initially scheduled to be held at the Quad, was relocated to the lobby outside the ballroom from 5-6 p.m., Friday, in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center.
“I wanted to do this because it’s kind of like, close to my heart too,” said Bria Matemane, president of WAL. “Just kind of an honor, an in memoriam of some of our loved ones.”
Matemane initially started the organization as Missing Our Mothers, but opened up the organization to be more inclusive and cater to students who have lost a friend, loved one or family member.
“I wanted to create a space where people could connect that way,” Matemane said. “I know there’s not many spaces like that, and this is not exactly dinner conversation.”
Students brought their friends along, and made a small donation to Susan G. Komen, a breast cancer organization. They wrote messages on the balloons, some addressed to their loved ones, others to those being affected by breast cancer, which were then used as decorations for Alpha Phi Omega’s Pretty in Pink fashion show.
Matemane’s inspiration to start the organization stems from the loss of her mother, Joyce Ann Taylor, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and died in 2015.
“I didn’t think anything was going to happen to her,” Matemane said. “I thought she was just like a superhuman I guess.”
Matemane was 12-years-old when her mother was diagnosed with one of the final stages of breast cancer.
“When she was first diagnosed, she probably wouldn’t have expected to live as long as she did,” Matemane said. “She was was hospitalized my freshman year, and then when I came home … she passed away over fall break.”
Matemane said losing your mother in college makes you look at life a lot differently since you don’t have that someone to go to for advice, learn to be an adult and seek help from.
“I’m grateful that I had a mother like her,” Matemane said. “So, … this is kind of in her honor and in her memory.”
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Delaware County from 2011-2015, there were 376 new cases of female breast cancer and 76 women who died of breast cancer. In the same period, female breast cancer had the most number of new cancer cases being reported and the second highest number of cancer related deaths in the country.
It also states that cancer in general is the second leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 1 in 4 deaths, only exceeded by heart disease.
“When you know that person’s stories, you can connect with people more and you can take those stories and connect them to yourself, and you learn from other people’s stories,” said Jeremy Walker, a sophomore criminal justice major. “So, I think it’s important to know what other people are going through and how they’ve gone through it.”
Contact Rohith Rao with comments at rprao@bsu.edu or on Twitter @RaoReports.
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