Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: News

Suffolk students, faculty, administrators and alumni will walk along the Charles River on Oct. 17 for the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.

Participants will gather money from sponsors and walk five miles along the river in this non-competitive, citywide event to help raise money for breast cancer awareness and treatments.

The Suffolk University team will walk in honor of former Sawyer School of Management student Geraldine F. Lavin, who battled breast cancer until her passing at age 55.

The Geraldine F. Lavin Scholarship Memorial Fund was created in her memory.

Lavin was the wife of Michael T. Lavin, dean of the Sawyer Cape Cod program.

Individuals will help raise pledges in order to create a single donation from the Suffolk community.

"I think the walk is important to student development. We do it because we care about the cause. We also do it because we want students to understand how much they can contribute," said

Associate Director of the Ballotti Learning Center Jeanne Morton.

"A huge part of your college education is to know how you can serve the community and what you can do as independent adults to change other people's lives," she continued.

This is the third year Morton has helped organize the event, along with Coordinator of Community Service and Service Learning Doug Tewksbury.

Last year, Suffolk University raised $3,000 for the Making Strides walk. Participants will meet at 9:30 a.m. in the Donahue building lobby, with the walk along the Charles beginning at 10 a.m.

Pledge forms are still available for those who want to walk.

Information can be found in the SOULS office and in the Donahue and Sawyer building lobbies.

In addition to the Making Strides walk, students can view the documentary film "One in Eight: Janice's Journey," directed by Cynthia McKeown.

The film follows a community organizer who is diagnosed with breast cancer and focuses on her experience as she begins treatments and moves toward recovery.

"It's uplifting and educational. It's a wake up call," breast cancer survivor and Learning Disability Specialist of the Ballotti Learning Center Margaret Suby said.

"We women, young and old, need to wake up the community for the need of early detection; so that the young women will find it in the early stages when it is easily defeated."

During part of the movie, McKeown focuses on Janice's struggle to find a doctor who will properly diagnose the lump she finds in her breast.

"Early detection is much easier to treat. We want to be able to tackle this issue. That is the message in this movie. Janice is speaking out for all the women who survived," Suby said.

The film will be shown from 1-2:30 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the C. Walsh Theatre. McKeown will be available for a question and answer session.

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