The Johnson Cancer Research Center raised about $600 this week from their “Fighting for a Cure” T-shirt sale. Because October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, these shirts are to be worn to the K-State football game on Oct. 12.
Cats for a Cure, a student organization that aids in raising money for the center, helped with the T-shirt sale this week at the K-State Student Union. Cats for a Cure has been building a partnership with the center for the past couple of years and have held a couple fundraisers, with many volunteers, for the center.
Cats for a Cure also helps spread the word about the center through social media and other avenues. Anna Burbridge, senior in sociology and Cats for a Cure president, said helping the the center is imperative to the student organization.
“It has been very rewarding for Cats for a Cure to help with the ‘Fighting for a Cure’ T-shirt fundraiser because it has allowed us to raise money that goes strictly to supporting the Johnson Cancer Research Center on campus,” Burbridge said. “This event has also allowed us to raise awareness about breast cancer.”
The shirts are also available at Varney’s Book Store. Although the shirts have repeatedly sold out at Varney’s, they have restocked frequently. According to Steve Levin, general manager of Varney’s, they are honored to help out the center whenever possible.
“Varney’s is very proud of our longstanding partnership with the Johnson Cancer Research Center,” Levin said. “We have worked with them for many years and [on] numerous projects. The Johnson Cancer Research Center performs vital work to help cure cancer, and that is very important to us. The center is a great facility, and a tremendous addition to K-State.”
According to Marcia Locke, Public Relations and Outreach Coordinator for the Johnson Cancer Research Center, the center has more than 80 affiliated faculty researchers in 16 departments. These researchers conduct basic and transitional cancer research that leads to improved prevention, diagnostics and treatments, as well as training future scientists. All of the center’s programs are funded by private donations.
“The K-State Fight Song’s exclamation that we are ‘fighting ever fighting for a Wildcat victory’ is as true for cancer research as it is for sports,” Locke said.
