On Saturday, September 22, PSU hosted its annual breast cancer walk outside of the PE center. The university worked along side of Keeping You, Me, and Memories Alive (KYMMA), a non-profit organization that reaches out to provide support for anyone who is fighting breast cancer and the families of those who have been lost to breast cancer.
This was the thirteenth year PSU has anchored the walk. Lyndsay Devine, a volunteer at the registration table for KYMMA explained that the walk was originally started by a Plymouth State Alum, Melissa Merrill.
Merrill lost her mother to breast cancer while she was a student at Plymouth State. She reached out to the counseling center for support and ended up working with the university to coordinate the first walk. In 2004 she teamed up with KYMMA and became incorporated.
When Devine was asked how she felt about the atmosphere at Plymouth, she was pleased to say that there is always, “huge support from PSU”.
Some support representing PSU was the tie-dye table run by the Art History Club. Vice President Kayla Lafond described how the president of the club knew of the walk and decided they should participate. One hundred percent of their proceeds were donated to KYMMA.
Luminaries were sold at another booth during the walk. Kathy Melanson, president of KYMMA, explained that the luminaries were a way to represent the departed. White paper bags with handwritten names on them were placed around the perimeter of the walking area.
“Each one of us has lost someone to cancer. We have that commonality and it brings us together,” says Melanson. She and the other members of KYMMA, “do anything we can to help out.”
Showing their support for the twelfth year was Speare Hospital. Staff members represented the hospital with pink camouflage shirts that read “Team Speare-It” on the back. Linda Reisert, a member of the Speare team, said “Our patients benefit from this group a lot. They really appreciate the gifts from this organization.”
An inspiring supporter was Linda Molinaro, PSU alumni and owner of the local business Natural Change Massage & Hypnosis, located at 66 Main Street. Molinaro walked the path with great pride, “I support KYMMA because I am a survivor”.
The annual walk was a great way for Plymouth to continue its support to fight against breast cancer with the help of KYMMA and many Plymouth State athletic teams and student organizations.