Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By Josephine Carrillo | Published November 8, 2023

Every October, a significant amount of organizations assembles charities for Breast Cancer, to spread awareness and acquire funds for research on the disease. 

According to breastcancer.org, Breast Cancer Awareness Month was not a thing until 1985, when the American Cancer Society, hosted a week-long campaign; that eventually became a month-long campaign; and in 1992, the pink ribbon became their symbol.

Riley Pond, a graduate student at Kean University, shared her personal story of losing her mother to the disease in 2020, when COVID-19 was a major health issue worldwide. 

“I believe there was a lot of negligence from the hospital during this time, doctors were more focused on COVID-19 patients; rather than other patients,” said Pond.“ her surgery was delayed multiple times due to COVID as well.”

Lisa Hagan Pond was a model for a fashion runway back in the 80’s, artist, entrepreneur, ran her own window display business and worked with well-known companies in New York City; and also had a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts. She was recruited by Monopoly, a real-estate board game, once to be a part of their World Championship in Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in Tokyo, Japan, back in 2004. 

Pond shared that her mother was first diagnosed with breast cancer stage back in 2011, when she was in middle school, and she did not inform relatives or friends about it. 

In 2020, while the Ponds were searching for their dream job, Lisa Pond was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, known as stage four; meaning that there is a probability the cancer has spread to another part of the body. 

“It took her eight years to find her dream house, and she never got a chance to live in it,” said Pond.

Pond mentioned having to get tested for the disease, she received a gene-testing kit and had to mail it back to her doctor. 

Patricia Aponte, the new Director of Health Services at Kean University, Union, encourages students to follow Kean’s Wellness Center, where they have posted educational material regarding Breast Cancer. 

“This year we collaborated with Student Government Association (SGA) and provided them with educational material for their pink out event,” said Aponte. 

It is known that a significant amount of organizations, worldwide, orchestrate fundraising events to support breast cancer research and find a cure. 

“Certain major organizations are big on their events and fundraisers but my question is, do they care about the lives behind the pink ribbon?” said Pond, “or do they just do it to look empathetic and make profit out of these events?”

Lisa Pond passed away on Sept. 26, 2020; when her only daughter, Riley, had just started her senior year at Kean University and moved to her first apartment ever; right when they were transitioning from the mother-daughter relationship to being friends. 

“She was supportive, she encouraged me to get my master’s degree at Kean before her passing” added Pond, “if she ever heard you had it rough at home, she would be the first to offer her house and love to you.”

Pond said that talking about it is always a little rough, but talking about her mom, who she was, and all the things she accomplished, keeps her memory alive. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is not only about wearing pink clothes and a pink ribbon, it is about honoring those who lost their battle against the disease, supporting those with their current battle against breast cancer, and the importance of being screened for the disease, at any age. 

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