Undergrad helps rally students for IBCA walkathon

When marchers step off from the Ithaca Commons at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, for the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance (IBCA) Walkathon, many participants in the annual fund-raiser will be Cornell students, thanks in part to the rallying efforts of Samantha Jacobs.

The senior Biology and Society major from Newton, Mass., has had two goals since she began volunteering at IBCA in August: Raising awareness about breast cancer prevention and care and increasing the participation of Cornellians in the benefit march.

Based in the Women's Community Building on Seneca Street, IBCA provides support, education and advocacy for all Tompkins County people facing the epidemic of breast cancer. In previous years Cornell sorority members have been among the hundreds who collected pledges and made the slow, two-mile march through the streets of Ithaca, but this year is different.

"Unfortunately, this year the walkathon coincides with Homecoming at Cornell so most of the sorority sisters will be busy on campus," Jacobs said. "I knew I had to do something."

She did. Jacobs began by contacting every student organization that might possibly be interested in breast cancer education and outreach. She flooded campus listservs with announcements for the walkathon. She rewrote news releases to catch the attention of students. She prepared overhead transparencies and persuaded professors to show them during classes.

Jacobs says she has been interested in women's health issues for several years, but she focused on breast cancer after an aunt was diagnosed with the disease, which affects one out of eight women. "Breast cancer," she said, "became my special concern."

As a result, Cornell should be well-represented at the walkathon, with marchers coming from the Women's Resource Center, the Student Health Alliance, the Nutrition Graduate Student Organization, the co-ed service fraternity Phi Sigma Pi, Breast Cancer Student Support and other groups.

Just in case she missed anyone, Jacobs notes that walkathon pledge forms still are available at Gannett Health Center, Courtside Racquet and Fitness Club and City Health Club and online at www.ibca.net.

"And if marching for a good cause isn't enough, there will be entertainment from the campus," she promises. "During the registration period, from noon to 1 p.m. at the center pavilion, the a cappella group Key Elements will perform between announcements, and the Cornell Juggling Club will keep the kids busy."