MCCC to Celebrate 10 Years of Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraising at Annual Think Pink Night
1/8/20
West Windsor, N.J. – Mercer County Community College (MCCC) will host its 10th annual Think Pink: Breast Cancer Awareness Night on Tuesday Jan. 21.
Mercer’s chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC) began the event in 2011 as a benefit for the Breast Cancer Research Center (BCRC) at the Princeton YWCA, an organization that provides critical support to patients during and after breast cancer treatment.
The YWCA has been active in the greater Mercer County area for more than a century. Opening its doors in the early 1900s, the YWCA operated branches out of both Princeton and Trenton, offering services ranging from training, housing support and more.
Though the Trenton branch closed 2015, the Princeton division has continued to provide services to the city. According to the YWCA website, BCRC’s Transportation Program provides transportation and mentorship to 90% of Trenton women for doctor appointments and treatment.
Mercer’s awareness night, which coincides with a men’s and women’s basketball double-header, is another such service, raising funds to support BCRC’s research and treatment efforts while fostering and educating a community around Breast Cancer awareness.
“Breast cancer affects about 1 in every 8 women, so chances are we all know or we will know someone affected by the disease,” said Erin Cahill-Wetzel, coordinator for the Fitness Center, Recreational Services and Think Pink organizer.
“All the raffle prizes we get are donated by local businesses or from different people on campus,” she added, noting that the participation serves as a great community builder. Each year, the MCCC gym is decorated with posters remembering women who fought against breast cancer, while the athletes show their support by donning pink laces and warm-up shirts.
While Cahill-Wetzel and the Athletics department is continuing to collect donations in the run up to the event, attendees can expect to see some great items up for grabs. Among other prizes are tickets to Princeton University basketball games as well as seats to a show at MCCC’s Kelsey Theatre.
Admission to the Think Pink is $3 for general admission and $2 for students and seniors. All proceeds from ticket and raffle sales will benefit the BCRC.
Members of the 2018-19 Women's basketball team pose before Mercer's 2019 Think Pink: Breast Cancer Awareness Night.