Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

By Maureem Ventura



Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 178, 480 women and 2,030 men will be diagnosed this year. It is important for women and men to be informed about breast cancer.  There are many organizations that raise money for breast cancer research and the Avon Foundation for Women is a large contributor to such a cause. Every year they host a two day walk in various cities around the nation where there are thousands of participants. Each contributor raises money to sponsor their walk which then goes to help find a cure for breast cancer.

The Avon Foundation for Women is a public charity that was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women and their families. Their two key areas are in breast cancer and domestic violence. In 1992, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade and Avon breast cancer programs in more than 55 countries were launched to support advancing access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer. The Breast Cancer Foundation raises money for breast cancer awareness and education, screening and diagnosis, access to treatment, support services, and scientific research. One way they raise this money is through their annual breast cancer walk that they host in various cities.

This year, the Avon Breast Cancer Walk closes to our area is being held in San Francisco on July 9th – July 10th. All walkers and volunteers will unite with one purpose and one goal: to end this deadly disease of breast cancer. The participants walk through San Francisco’s crazy downtown area to beautiful Marin. They are able to experience the charm and diversity that San Francisco offers. The hills are only a small price to pay to address the high occurrence of breast cancer in the bay area. At the end of the weekend, the walkers will have traveled a total of 39 miles, each mile striving to end breast cancer. Each participant raises over $1,800 to benefit the breast cancer foundation.

During 2003-2010 the Avon Breast Cancer walk has raised $380 million. The money that is raised also provides women and men breast cancer screening, support and treatment that they need regardless of their economic standing. “Early detection helps save lives”, so it is important to fund screenings for everyone.  There are over 2 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. because they were able to get treatment. 

Every 13 minutes a life is lost to breast cancer; 40,460 women and 450 men in the U.S. will die from the disease annually.  It is a strong misconception that men cannot get breast cancer.  Although it is not as common for men to get breast cancer as it is for women, men make up 1% of all cases of breast cancer.  Survival for men is the same as women.  Men need to stand up and help end breast cancer as well. 

           

A woman has a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime.  So stand up and fight to end the disease.  Join the Avon Breast Cancer walk and be “In it to end it”. Show your support by becoming a walker, donating, or volunteering. 

For more information visit www.avonwalk.org. 

Also, check out my personal walk page at: http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk/SanFrancisco?px=5645531&pg=personal&fr_id=2050

AS Women's Center Radio Show

By Meggie Schultz

I remember the first time I heard my voice on the radio.  I had called in for an on-air talent contest and the listeners of Sacramento were graced with the lyrical sensation that was middle-school me singing “Hakuna matata.”  I giggled as my voice echoed back and, although I didn’t win the contest, I was so proud to tell everyone I saw that I had been on the radio!  It was so exciting to know that for a 2 minute period, people were listening to me doing something I loved.

The second time I heard my voice on the radio, I had officially joined the team of AS Women’s Center radio interns as DJ Vagtastic.  Every Thursday from 6pm to 7pm, I join fellow intern DJ Gynomite in educating the listeners of kcscradio.com on feminist issues within our campus, community, and world. 

As an intern, I’ve assisted with putting together several events, including last semester’s Take Back the Night and this semester’s Maggie Awards.  I’ve stood in protests, holding signs to show my support for my cause.  I’ve sat at informational tables, educating students about women’s issues.  And I’ve proudly stood beside my fellow interns, joining them in changing our campus and community for the better.  And yet I had never considered going on air to share current events, social issues, and my own unique opinions as a form of activism.  

In Philadelphia, a group of volunteers came together in 2008 to build a radio station for their local community as an attempt to bring people together.  Inviting all community members to come on air and get involved, the volunteers created an opportunity for people to share their own voices on issues influencing their community.  One of the members commented that “This is an extremely positive endeavor…I see this as a venue for voices that are often marginalized or drowned out.”  Having the radio has allowed the community members of West Philly to have their voices and opinions to be heard; far too often, the voices of communities are ignored in mainstream media.  As far as discussing social and political issues, one community member sees the radio as “an opportunity not just to preach your politics but work together to build an institution.”  Including local news, hit music, and community announcements, the radio station, although often facing economic hardships, has worked to bring the community together and have their voices heard.

On the other side of the globe in 2011, young women in Fiji joined together to use a community radio broadcast to address daily issues that affect the lives of young women in their area.  This group of 21 women included those from Labasa, Nadi, Suva, the autonomous region of Bougainville, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands.  This radio program became an opportunity for these young women to raise their often ignored and unheard concerns; the main goal of the group was “to develop some radio series on issues that connected women in all divisions.”  The women wanted to discuss issues of women’s access to appropriate housing, food security, health issues, and education.  They even emphasized their desire to provide information on a pap-smear, including how it worked, its purpose, and the danger of cervical cancer.  By using this radio program, the women of Fiji have been able to build a strong community of women who are educated on issues concerning their lives and their bodies. 

Today, Chico’s KCSC radio program has become an opportunity for me and my co-host DJ Gynomite (Hannah Clause) to use our voices for activism.  Each week, we come together to raise awareness on important feminist issues, sharing with our listeners knowledge, opinions, and lots of laughs.  Whether it is women’s rights issues or women’s pleasure issues, we are ready to step up to the mic and talk it out.  DJ Gynomite remarks that she has “been able to express my activism to anyone who will listen…using forms of media is one of the strongest ways to get ideas and issues circulating in the public, and the DJ show allows me to be the one to put that information out there.”  For me, using the radio program has allowed me to show my support for women’s rights and my concern for women’s issues, while also building my confidence in how I can truly be an activist in my community. 

Listen in every Thursday from 6pm to 7pm at kcscradio.com. 

For more information, search for the AS Women's Center Radio Show on Facebook!

AS Women's Center's 14th Annual Women's Conference

By Rachel Robledo

The 13 annual Women’s Conference is final here! This Sunday April 10^th in Sylvester’s Café. I have never attended a women’s conference before but if I had to pick one to go to, it would most definitely be this year’s conference. This year’s conference theme will be, “Breaking Feminist Cultural Boundaries.” This theme may have different meanings for people. For me the theme shows how struggle and/or self-exploration of my own identity have exposed the many different identifiers in that I have in my life. I find that depending on how I grow and mature I see myself through many different lenses such as my cultural identity, my school identity, the identity I portray with my friends or family, and much, much more. As an example today I am a Hispanic and White female who is a student, involved in Greek life, is a practicing Catholic who loves TV, all foods, clothes and I am a feminist. What I am trying to say is, although my identity is always evolving I can be all these things and also be a feminist. I can be anything I want to be and as long as my values and personal beliefs stay constant I will still consider myself a feminist. When I doubt myself or think, well my religion says this or my behavior shows that…I think; do I believe that every person should have a fair say, that andocentric language is wrong or that in the year 2011 there should no longer be a wage gap? Then I know I am a feminist.  Feminism is an identity in itself and is different for every person. It will always be evolving and changing.

At this years conference I hope every person walks away feeling empowered and more knowledgeable about feminism. Not only feminism but specifically how feminism and culture bring people together. Through a variation of workshops and lectures we will be breaking down the stereotypes and show how related culture and feminism really is. Please join us if you want to discuss feminism, boundaries, diversity, and ultimately come together to support each other. The event kicks off Sunday, April 10^th in Sylvester’s Café on the CSUC campus. Join us from events from 10-3:30, with a free lunch and our new tote bags for sale, only $7!

For further information, contact:

Jillian Ruddell, Director of the AS Women’s Center, BMU 002

530-898-5724

Email: ASWOMENSCENTERSD@CSUCHICO.