Cuyahoga Community College cancer walk.

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Second-year dental hygiene students at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland recently held a 10K cancer walk to help raise money for breast cancer research.

Class President Tina Brantsch, Class Secretary Dana Zanzano, as well as Angela Coffman-Nolan, Michelle Hoag, and Kelli Sabatino, developed and spearheaded the effort after brainstorming ways that they could give back to their community.

"This summer we found out that one of our instructors was diagnosed with breast cancer and two of our other students, Kelli and Michelle, [have] moms undergoing treatment for breast cancer," Brantsch explained. "Angela's aunt passed away this previous summer, and my aunt is a breast cancer survivor. So we decided that it would be great to give to a breast cancer research group, and we ended up going with the Northern Ohio Breast Cancer Coalition Fund (NOBCCF)."

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The NOBCCF works to help eliminate breast cancer through research, by improving access to health care and promoting the influence of breast cancer survivors in all decision-making efforts pertaining to them.

According to Brantsch, about 19 people participated in the walk; they were able to earn and donate $1,300 to the fund.

"I thought [the walk] was great; it really bought everyone together," Coffman-Nolan said. "We were able to all come and talk about a common thing and hear what everyone was going through, whether it was affecting them directly or indirectly. It's nice to do something for a good cause, and I think we were all happy how it turned out."

Brantsch said that this experience affected her a great deal. "When I was brainstorming ideas for a fundraiser, I kept thinking about my aunt who is a survivor. She had a daughter that was five years old and she never thought she would see her graduate college.

"As I was walking along that trail, it was such a beautiful day with the leaves falling and the river right next to us, and it made me reflect upon the beauty of this world and how something like breast cancer can affect you in a moment," she continued. "It meant a lot for me to walk. Even though I don't have it, I was there walking to help other people who do."

"I think breast cancer affects everyone a little differently, but it unifies us, and that's what makes breast cancer awareness so successful," Sabatino said.

"Although it was my mom, it could be anyone's mom, anyone's daughter, anyone's aunt. You never know, and as women it brings you together and makes you more aware of the love that you have for each other and your family."

Brantsch said that as class president, she believes it will be beneficial to make sure that the walk, or some other community service project, is a recurring event with future dental hygiene classes.

"As dental hygienists, this really correlates to our profession," she said. "We're here to help people and to help with prevention, like oral cancer screenings and other preventive services. This is just a way to get outside of our dental hygiene circle and look at other big pictures that we can make a difference in as well."

This Strive Special Feature was prepared by Frances Moffett.