By Caroline Carter

Staff Writer

Laura Salamone arrived at her doctor appointment never expecting to walk out knowing she has cancer. With the entire month of October dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness, Salamone and others still have hope that one day there will be a cure.

“I was shocked when I found out that I had breast cancer, I really thought they were going to tell me everything was OK even though things were getting more and more serious,” Salamone said. “So hearing the words, ‘You have cancer’ is like nothing I had ever experienced.”

Salamone was diagnosed with breast cancer on Dec. 14, 2010, and had surgery Jan. 19. Because her doctors were able to spot the cancer early on, she finished radiation and became cancer free on April 21, 2011.

As a mother of four daughters, the task of telling them she had breast cancer was extremely hard, but the process of watching others respond to the news of her cancer taught her own children a valuable lesson.

“It was so good for my kids because they saw people reach out to me,” Salamone said. “And it taught them this lesson of how we are all in this life together, and we are here to help each other. It was also good for my students.”

Salamone serves as the current Academy English I teacher, and last year was the English teacher for the PSA Academy. A loved teacher by many, the PSA students and Salamone’s fellow faculty members went above and beyond in showing their teacher how much they care about her.

“They were incredible. You could just tell in little ways when I came back from treatment that they cared,” Salamone said. “[They] would tell me a joke every day, and I would get these random hugs from students that wouldn’t normally do that.”

Along with random acts of kindness, the PSA students created a shirt in honor of Salamone. A light pink T-shirt with a verse from the song “Just Stand Up” was given to all of the PSA students and teachers.

“It is such an inspirational song, and it was written for breast cancer,” Salamone said. “One of the lines in the song is ‘The mind keeps thinking you’ve had enough, but the heart keeps telling you don’t give up’ and that’s what they put on the back of the T-shirt… We would play the song during class sometimes which was sweet.”

Even before having breast cancer, Salamone regularly participated in breast cancer awareness events, as both her mother and sister were survivors of the cancer. She hopes to continue and stay as involved as she can with events that benefit the cause.

With over 39,000 women losing their lives to breast cancer each year, it is important that money is raised for research. One of the ways Coppell High School’s volleyball team stays involved is by annually participating in Dig for the Cure. This year the team raised over 10,000 dollars through T-shirts, donations and raffle sales.

Dig for the Cure was founded in 2003 by the University of North Carolina-Charlotte head volleyball coach, Lisa Marston, after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. The project soon spread throughout country to benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation. This is Coppell’s fourth year to participate in the event.

“Dig for the Cure was great to participate in,” said freshman Madyline Baucum, who plays junior varsity volleyball. “I got to do what I love while knowing that CHS was contributing to a wonderful cause.”

Along with Dig for the Cure, many students and faculty participated in the 29 annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The race was on Oct. 15 at NorthPark Center. Junior and cross-country runner Shane Murray participated in the race.

“All of cross country did it and it was for a good cause,” Murray said. “I am really glad that I did it this year.”

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the foundation that puts on Race for the cure, has been around for almost 30 years, making it the most widely known breast cancer awareness organization.

At the age of 33, Susan Komen was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a three-year struggle, Komen lost the fight. Her younger sister Nancy Goodman Brinker saw how great a need there was for an increased awareness on this particular type of cancer that affects 230,480 women each year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Before Komen lost her life, Brinker promised her sister she would do whatever it took to end breast cancer forever. Thus the creation of Susan G. Komen for the Cure occurred in 1982 causing the movement of breast cancer awareness.

As the amount of supporters for the cause grew, the American Cancer Society soon dedicated Oct. to be National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. October is also the month when the majority of the fundraisers are held.

“Breast cancer is so wide spread and it is so great that there is money out there to do research,” Salamone said, “And hopefully someday we will find a cure.”