For Immediate Release

Friday, Oct. 4, 2019

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

Rockland Students Participate in Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk

ROCKLAND — Rockland High School Principal John Harrison and Rockland Middle School Principal Beth Bohn are pleased to announce that Rockland students from both schools participated in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on Sunday, Sept. 29.

The group of approximately 150 students spent Sunday morning in Boston along the Charles River at the David R. Mugar Hatch Shell. Dressed in all pink, the students arrived at the starting line at 8 a.m. and chose whether to walk six miles or two miles. The students also visited different kiosks, listened to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and cancer survivors who spoke of their journeys. 

The students were accompanied by student government council adviser Kirsten Bartoloni, seventh grade middle school teacher and assistant adviser Jacqui Gervais,  high school social studies teacher and assistant adviser Greg Rowe and several parents. 

Along with attending the walk, the students, sponsored by the Rockland High School and Rockland Middle Schools Student Government Councils, planned and held fundraising events in the few weeks before the walk to raise money for the American Cancer Society. High school students raised $2,300 through t-shirt sales, penny wars and donations from the Sept. 27 Rockland football game. Middle school students raised $3,425 through t-shirt sales and teacher “Jean Day” donations. The donations will be used by the American Cancer Society to fund breast cancer research and provide patient services.

Rockland High School senior and Student Government Council Community Services Chair Zach Webb, along with other council leaders, organized the fundraising events and recruited students to attend the walk.

“All you really can do is just put the information out there with announcements, flyers and just talking to people,” Webb said.

Council advisers also worked to educate students about the impact of breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime and 41,760 women are estimated to die from breast cancer in the U.S. this year.

“A group of our high school students participate in the walk each year and we were excited to welcome middle school students this year as well,” Bartoloni said. “Our groups raised a record amount of money to donate to the organization and it was great to see our students be a part of the 25,000 participants of the walk. We’re very proud of them for wanting to support and participate in such a wonderful cause.”

The Making Strides Walks take place across the country each year, along with a network of other events. The organization works to support survivors and caregivers by not only funding research, but also giving patients rides to chemotherapy, helping a survivor look good so they feel better and being available to answer caregivers’ questions at any time of day.

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