Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is observed Oct. 1- 31.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual campaign to increase awareness for the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women. 

This month is designed to  honor survivors, support people who are fighting cancer and remember those who have lost their lives to the disease. Many people promote awareness by wearing pink, expressing their support on social media platforms, and “shopping pink,” which means shopping at stores that donate proceeds directly to cancer patients or organizations. 

Additionally, Breast Cancer Awareness means advocacy to educate people over the realities of cancer. It is important to build awareness of this disease. There are many signs and symptoms that can be detected, so that treatment can be started as early as possible. Cancer can greatly affect victims and their families  in many aspects. Aside from the physical, mental and emotional burdens cancer can put on families, treatment can be very financially stressful. That is why people are encouraged to donate to charities, participate in fundraisers and reach out to cancer patients to offer a hand of support during this month.

There are numerous charities, organizations and events that allow people to donate their time or money to help families in these situations. Furthermore, there are many cancer research charities such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where donations are applied to research into developing new tests, treatments, and prevention. 

One of the many organizations includes The Pink Warrior Angels of Texas (PWATX), which is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide emotional and financial support for all cancer diagnoses. 

Breast cancer survivor, Julie Moser, founded PWATX in 2015 after completing her treatments. After Moser’s diagnosis, she was given an “angel” to represent someone who had also been diagnosed and lent their support throughout her battle. Moser’s “angel” was Tarleton Alumni Marily Considine, who was diagnosed in 2010. Marily was a Texan Star, worked for the JTAC and worked closely with the Tarleton Alumni Association Board.  

“She was kind of everywhere, she did just about everything. If she could be involved on campus, she was. The only reason people know who I am is because I was connected to her,”  Marily’s husband, Major John Considine said as he described her. 

Tarleton carries on Marily’s legacy by naming a scholarship in her honor. The Marily Considine Memorial Endowed Scholarship is granted to a full-time sophomore, junior, or senior who is a member of the Texan Star Dance team and undoubtedly “Bleeds Purple” as Marily did.

PWATX also named a scholarship in Marily’s honor, the Marily Considine Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to a candidate who will best carry out Marily’s wish to “pay it forward”, which means giving back to your community. 

“Take care of yourself. I saw this in my wife, and you typically see this in mothers in general, they [say] I am going to make sure everyone is taken care of,” John Considine said.

“They know there is a little lump or that something is not right but they put it off, because the kids need to be taken to school, or the house needs to be taken care of. If something is off or not right, make sure to get it checked out sooner than later. Take care of yourself.”