November 7, 2024
By MEALAND RAGLAND-HUDGINS
Rutherford County Schools
Students and staff at Siegel Middle School presented the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Foundation with a $500 donation to its Power of Pink Fund, which aids in early breast cancer detection.
The school has hosted a Breast Cancer Awareness campaign during the month of October for several years. The school sold cookie dough, awareness ribbons and bracelets to raise the funds.
“This is the biggest year we’ve ever had,” said Principal Kim Stoecker, noting that the school had a near 100% participation rate for its Pink Out Day.
“It was hard to find anyone that wasn’t wearing pink and some of them were dressed head to toe in pink. It was awesome,” she said.
The Power of Pink Fund covers the cost of mammograms and related screenings for underinsured and uninsured women in Rutherford County. The effort has served more than 24,000 women through the mobile mammography coaches in 26 Middle Tennessee counties.
Patty Marschel co-founded the Power of Pink Fund 20 years ago after learning of her best friend’s cancer diagnosis. During an appearance on Siegel Middle’s announcements on Wednesday morning, she encouraged viewers to use Thanksgiving break to talk to loved ones about the importance of early detection, as each person may have different symptoms or none at all.
“If they tell you they can’t afford it, you tell them how they can get tested for free,” Marschel urged.
Members of the Siegel Middle Student Council and Ambassador programs were on hand for the presentation.
“I’m so proud of you for raising all this money. It’s going to good use,” Marschel added.