Maya MacGregor
Staff Writer
To some students, the holiday season is less about receiving gifts and more about giving the gift of support to those who need it most.
Next semester, Mira Costa’s Pink Ribbon club will be donating gift baskets to breast cancer patients at MemorialCare Breast Center in Long Beach. Club members will be paired with a patient to buy various items for their care packages.
“This project will not only allow us to aid breast cancer patients, but patients with other variations of cancer as well,” Pink Ribbon Club Co-President, Victoria Nwoke said.
The overall goal of the Pink Ribbon club is to help raise money to benefit breast cancer patients. They would like to personally touch the lives of breast cancer fighters, as well as expanding the club to more parts of the community.
“Breast cancer is a form of cancer that I personally believe has plagued many females physically, emotionally, and spiritually, it’s something that affects the whole self,” Nwoke said. “Although it has plagued thousands of women for many years, it has enabled us as a global community to find a cure and to work together as one entity.”
Nwoke’s aunt died from cancer a few years ago; this motivated her to work hard and help breast cancer patients today. The club has created a further experience where she could still feel connected to her aunt.
“This inspired me to work harder to not only find a cure, but to help the patients in the meantime through volunteer work which I am extremely passionate about,” Nwoke said. “By joining this club in my freshman year, I was ensured an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the cancer community.”
Pink Ribbon Club is going to receive a list from the Breast Center of what the patients like to make the packages more personal. After the baskets are assembled, the club members will go to MemorialCare Breast Center to deliver the gifts and meet the patients.
“People close to me have been affected by cancer and its a hard thing to go through for the patient and the family and friends,” Co-President, Kate Gotman said. “I just want to help, in any way, to make their day a little better and leave an impact in their life.”
As well as donating care packages, the Pink Ribbon club will be participating in the Susan G. Komen walk/run, and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network run in the spring. The club plans on continuing the gift basket project and expanding it to two times a year.
“I believe that joining this club provided me with the opportunity to learn more about breast cancer, which I know has a large impact on the female race and most importantly a personal experience in which my aunt would still be with me,” Nwoke said.
The Pink Ribbon Club is welcoming new members and are asking for donations from students. They are also hosting a bake sale next month and would like more volunteers to help. Pink Ribbon Club meets Wednesdays in front of the choir room.
“I’m really passionate about this project because I think it will bring smiles to the patients’ faces,” Pink Ribbon club secretary, Tatiana Bodner said. “The packages will be filled with everything they like and hopefully it will make their stay in the hospital a little more comfortable.”
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