By Amanda Moses
“Fight, Fight, Fight Breast Cancer,” chants rang out in Spring Creek Towers (SCT) as a sea of middle schoolers marched along the winding pathways on October 25th.
Frederick Douglass Academy (FDA) VIII hosted their annual Walk for a Cure event on Friday morning. Students in sixth to eighth grade marching down Pennsylvania Avenue while holding up banners that read, “Stop Breast Cancer.”
The march stressed that breast cancer is the most common leading form of cancer in women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. One middle school student held up a pink and red sign that read, “In the United States, 42,250 women and 530 men will die from breast cancer this year.”
In addition to spreading awareness of the disease and the importance of early detection measures, the school also hosted its Conqueror’s Brunch inside its gymnasium, dedicating an afternoon of delicious food to those who’ve survived their diagnoses.
Dr. Bernice Turner, a 70-year-old Breast Cancer survivor, spoke at the brunch and shared her journey battling the disease. Turner was first diagnosed in 1979, then again in 2011, and then for a third time in 2014. This three-time champion conquered her illness and credits her close group of supporters who allowed her to lean on them when times got hard, as well as maintaining a positive attitude.
“There are so many forms of cancer, and today, we want to learn about being conquerors, and more than conquerors and overcomers of cancer, because there are those of us, and I am a witness who can live with the disease and can survive, and not only survive, I call myself a person who thrived,” Dr. Turner said. “This disease has some horrific complications, but we have to fight.”
Dr. Turner said that in fighting cancer and any battle in life, we must follow her lesson, which she called A, B, and C, which stands for Attitude, Balance, and Care.
Dr. Turner believes having a consistent positive outlook will help you overcome many issues. She also recommends keeping a balanced life because things, like your diet, should be held in moderation (such as work and fun). The last piece of advice she shared was to care more, and to volunteer your time to help others. Altruism and empathy are the best forms of support for one another.
Photos by Amanda Moses
