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PITTSBURG —
Several Pittsburg State University students are doing their part to raise breast cancer awareness this month.
Inspired by the death of their friend and former PSU graduate, Sarah Burkybile, who had battled breast cancer for years and died Aug. 30 of this year, communications graduate student Julie Huston decided to organize a fund raiser and donate the proceeds to a charity of her family’s choosing. Huston and other members of Lambda Pi Eta, the communications honor society Burkybile was a member of while she was a student at PSU, will be selling pink bracelets throughout the month of October in the Bryant Student Health Center and the book store in the Overman Student Center. They also will be selling the bracelets from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Gorilla Village at the home football games on Oct. 6 and Oct. 20, and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Oval on Oct. 8. The bracelets will be on sale for $1, and the proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks in Burkybile’s name.
Huston said she decided to raise the money after she found out that Burkybile had died.
“We decided we would sell bracelets,” Huston said. “The foundation gave us 1,000 bracelets for free, and gave us pink T-shirts to wear while we’re selling them.”
Burkybile, a native of Galena, worked as a substitute teacher in Joplin, Mo., and helped found the HOPE4You Breast Cancer Foundation there. According to its website, the purpose of the HOPE 4 You Breast Cancer Foundation “is to raise awareness, provide support, offer education and instill hope for those affected by breast cancer in our local area.” Burkybile left behind a husband, Travis, and 7-year-old son, Phil.
“Sarah was an amazing person,” senior communications student Jesse Gregory said. “She didn’t let it control her and she worked to spread awareness. We feel it’s our responsibility to continue what she was doing.”
Huston agreed.
“She never stopped,” she said. “She never stopped as a wife, as a mother, as a student, as a teacher and as an activist.”
Kristi Seibert, outreach director for the BCFO, said she’s impressed by the students’ initiative.
“They are very engaged,” Seibert said. “They were very touched by her experience, and they noticed. “Her husband has noticed, and he’s very appreciative. Julie said ‘We want her family to know we haven’t forgotten Sarah.’”
Several Pittsburg State University students are doing their part to raise breast cancer awareness this month.
Inspired by the death of their friend and former PSU graduate, Sarah Burkybile, who had battled breast cancer for years and died Aug. 30 of this year, communications graduate student Julie Huston decided to organize a fund raiser and donate the proceeds to a charity of her family’s choosing. Huston and other members of Lambda Pi Eta, the communications honor society Burkybile was a member of while she was a student at PSU, will be selling pink bracelets throughout the month of October in the Bryant Student Health Center and the book store in the Overman Student Center. They also will be selling the bracelets from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Gorilla Village at the home football games on Oct. 6 and Oct. 20, and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Oval on Oct. 8. The bracelets will be on sale for $1, and the proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks in Burkybile’s name.
Huston said she decided to raise the money after she found out that Burkybile had died.
“We decided we would sell bracelets,” Huston said. “The foundation gave us 1,000 bracelets for free, and gave us pink T-shirts to wear while we’re selling them.”
Burkybile, a native of Galena, worked as a substitute teacher in Joplin, Mo., and helped found the HOPE4You Breast Cancer Foundation there. According to its website, the purpose of the HOPE 4 You Breast Cancer Foundation “is to raise awareness, provide support, offer education and instill hope for those affected by breast cancer in our local area.” Burkybile left behind a husband, Travis, and 7-year-old son, Phil.
“Sarah was an amazing person,” senior communications student Jesse Gregory said. “She didn’t let it control her and she worked to spread awareness. We feel it’s our responsibility to continue what she was doing.”
Huston agreed.
“She never stopped,” she said. “She never stopped as a wife, as a mother, as a student, as a teacher and as an activist.”
Kristi Seibert, outreach director for the BCFO, said she’s impressed by the students’ initiative.
“They are very engaged,” Seibert said. “They were very touched by her experience, and they noticed. “Her husband has noticed, and he’s very appreciative. Julie said ‘We want her family to know we haven’t forgotten Sarah.’”
