PAGE 4 The Hatchet October 19, 2010
FEATURES
Pink is the new orange
A journey of recovery
Seniors Konami Yokoyama, Kelsey Herrington, junior Darra Lanigan, and sophomore Meagan Serex huddle during a time out at their Dig Pink game against Mission Oct. 7
Nisha Oommen
nisha@whshatchet.com In May of 2008, senior Carmelle Coleman’s mother, Sharon Coleman, was diagnosed with breast cancer. However, Sharon did not feel it appropriate to tell Carmelle yet. She didn’t want to add more stress to her daughter’s life. “It wasn’t the right time,” Carmelle said. The news of her mother’s breast cancer was so unexpected that Carmelle can remember the exact date: June 19, 2008. “I had just gotten home from Great America because it was the first day of summer after freshman year,” Carmelle said. The news was hard to bear and no exact emotion or amount of words can accurately express the emptiness and confusion that Coleman felt. “My initial reaction was a mix of fear and disbelief. Fear obviously because when you hear about cancer you automatically think of the number of lives that it claims. But I also was in disbelief because I couldn’t wrap my head around the thought that she could be one of those numbers,” Carmelle Coleman said. This wasn’t the first time Sharon had been injured or ill. She had had previous surgeries but her daughter’s young age kept her from understanding what was going on. Her mother’s breast cancer was the first time she had to deal with something of this magnitude so she had difficulty grasping the reality of it all.
PAGE 5 The Hatchet October 19, 2010
Students support local foundation Bharathi Gandi
bharathi@whshatchet.com
Photo by Amber Yao
Washington students show their support for breast cancer awareness by wearing “I love boobies” bracelets. The Keep a Breast Foundation donates part of its profits to breast cancer education and awareness.
Photo from the Coleman family Carmelle Coleman and her mother, Sharon Coleman. Sharon was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. “Living without her wasn’t even an option to me,” said Coleman. Although times were rough at home, Carmelle kept her head up and was happy to take care of her mother. “I’m proud of my mother. She is fine now...I’m glad we made it through,” Carmelle said Carmelle supports her mother and all other survivors and victims of breast cancer and shows it whenever she can. One way she showed her support was walking for Paws for a Cause with her mother; a reminder that their journey is never-ending, but they always have each other.
Photos by June Cong and Alex Young
When strength falters Nisha Oommen
nisha@whshatchet.com
WATCH THE
NEWS EVERY FRIDAY
whshatchet.com
To most people, a grandmother is a support system. And without that support system, most people would feel empty and lost. This was how senior Mariella Tamayo felt when she almost lost her grandmother to a battle with breast cancer. The confusion and denial was what struck Tamayo the hardest. She couldn’t understand why it had to happen to her grandmother of all people. The most frustrating aspect, for Tamayo, was how she was completely powerless to fix it. It was during this difficult time that Tamayo was able to learn an important lesson: family comes first. “I’m very close with my grandma, I would definitely be sad if I lost her because she’s one of the main people in my life,” Tamayo said. Tamayo became so used to visiting her grandmother with family that it became habit. “A lot of my family members always visited her and took care of her,” Tamayo said. Tamayo emphasized that providing comfort and love are the main reasons for visiting a loved one and that a ten second hug or a five minute prayer can mean the most in the end. “It was hard to deal with school and I was less concentrated on school but more on my Grandma. I was taking care of her with the family constantly,” Tamayo said. However, she never thought of the disease as a burden because her grandmother had always been a strong influence on her. “Diagnosed three years ago, she’s stronger than ever, she has stuck through all the surgeries. She is one of my role models, because she stayed strong for her kids and family,” Tamayo said.
Photo by Osika Tripathi Student Activities Director Helen Paris and senior Divya Gupta lead walkers at Paws for a Cause.
About 1 in 8 women in the United States (between 12% and 13%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
About 70-80% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer.
About 1,970 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in 2010.
Asian, Hispanic, and Native American women have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than white and African American women.
On Oct. 2, Washington High School left behind orange and black and took pride in covering the school in pink: pink ribbons, pink posters, pink paw prints Beginning and ending on the school’s front lawn, Paws for a Cause attracted attention from the street and other pedestrians. More than 200 students and their families participated in the walk and created a stream of hot pink shirts and posters that circled the school. “The amount of money and support we got this year is much more than last year,” junior and ASB member Akhila Nekkanti said. Last year’s Paws for a Cause generated $4,000 in donations, but this year’s walk surpassed that number by $2,000. Various clubs, as well as ASB, sold cupcakes, t-shirts, burgers, water, and lemonade to raise extra money for the HERS Cancer Foundation The foundation was created in 1998 by Tricia McMahon and helps women who have beaten, or are currently fighting breast cancer regain their confidence. The foundation also helps victims of breast cancer financially. Their programs include Bras for Body & Soul, We Support You Survive, Lymphedema, and Hair with Care.
For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.
Statistics from www.breastcancer.org
Optimism in the face of tragedy Nika Peng
nika@whshatchet.com Junior Kevin McMahon is familiar to the feelings and concerns that accompany the times when a family member’s life is at risk. It was completely unexpected when Debbie McMahon, Kevin McMahon’s aunt, told the family that she developed breast cancer. One day, during their usual family Skype session, Debbie broke the news. and told the family that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, a year later, Debbie is still fighting breast cancer, but her condition is improving. "I didn't realize how damaging cancer was at the time. Now when I see my aunt, the time spent with her is more precious, because I never know when the cancer is going to take a turn for the worse," Kevin said. Debbie is living day by day waiting for the time, when she is fully cured, to come. The McMahon family frequently prays for her and checks up on Debbie through Skype. "You can't even tell she's even suffering, every time I'm with her she seems normal, I forget she even has
cancer." Kevin said. McMahon didn't realize how extreme and remorseful cancer was for his aunt until after his uncle recently passed away from brain cancer. He now understands the chemotherapy, intermissions, and appointments that cancer patients must face. Kevin McMahon is an active in participating in various causes for the fight against breast cancer.. He walked for Paws for a Cause, and also helps his aunt Tricia McMahon with the organization HERS Foundation. Tricia McMahon created the foundation because of her friends and family that were dealing with breast cancer. At her very first organized breast cancer benefit walk at Coyote Hills, over one-hundred breast cancer patients, survivors, and family members participated. They raised fifteen thousand dollars that was spent towards hair wigs. Just this past year, they were able to exceed expectations and raise eighty thousand dollars for more supplies for breast cancer patients. They used the money for supplies, like wigs and artificial breasts, which help women suffering from breast cancer look and feel beautiful.
Photo from the McMahon family Junior Kevin McMahon and family gather for a celebration. Two members of the McMahon family have battled cancer and another created the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation.