ALTON - Students and faculty members of Marquette Catholic High School ditched their blue and silver spirit colors in exchange for pink at the Paint the Place Pink Volley for the Cure event to bring awareness to breast cancer Tuesday.
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In a partnership with OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center, the private school held a fun-filled volleyball scrimmage match between the students and faculty to honor the heroic fight against breast cancer.
The freshmen, junior varsity and varsity girls volleyball teams faced off against the young men in their grades in a classic “boys versus girls” tournament. In a special event before the varsity match, members of the Marquette Catholic staff duked it out on the volleyball court. Staff members Mr. Stratton, Mr. Scram, Mr. Harmon, and Ms. Shade, Ms. Jackson, Ms. Kallal, Mrs. Piazza, Mrs. Velikis and Mrs. Hough all enjoyed taking on the opportunity to play some volleyball for the great cause.
Heather Jones, a breast cancer navigator for OSF Saint Anthony’s Woman’s Imaging Center, was on hand to spread awareness for the disease alongside the hospital’s event coordinator Tammy Stilwell.
“We have partnered with the school for a few years now and we have over 70 members of the school who have worked with us for breast cancer awareness,” Jones said.
“It’s a good partnership between the students. They have actually toured our facility and truly understand what we do. We love coming out here to have a good time and gladly sponsor the free t-shirts,” Jones also said.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer in among woman in the U.S. and is the second leading cause of death in women. For women, early detection is key to aggressively treating the disease.
“Any changes, whether it be the skin dimpling, discharge, coloring or what have you needs to be discussed with your primary care physician,” Jones said.
Jones mentioned when people commonly receive diagnoses, they begin to feel isolated and scared. The navigators at OSF Saint Anthony’s Medical Center are there to assist any patient along the whole process from diagnosis to the last treatment.
“We also have our Caring Circle support group for people with all type of cancers,” Stillwell said. “We meet on the third Saturday of every month and do a plethora of activities, have open conversations and more.”
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