Breast Cancer Awareness Month at SMC Includes Guest Speakers, 5K Fundraiser

10/08/10 — Spartanburg Methodist College is sponsoring two events in October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

SPARTANBURG, SC - Spartanburg Methodist College is sponsoring two events in October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

A Night of Hope: Celebrating Breast Cancer Survivorship

"A Night of Hope: Celebrating Breast Cancer Survivorship" is a lecture event which will be held Oct. 21 at 7 pm in Davis Mission Chapel on the SMC campus.

The free event, which is open to the public, will feature author Susan Jordan, mother of actress Meg Ryan. Jordan, who lives in Abbeville, SC, is a breast cancer survivor and is also the author of the 2001 book The Immune Spirit: A Story of Love, Loss and Healing .

"We are very excited to have Mrs. Jordan visit our campus and share with our students. I think her story will show students that breast cancer can affect anyone, but surviving is possible. She's a very friendly woman who is very open about sharing her story. I think this will be a great way to educate our community and provide hope that one day this disease will no longer be an issue," says Kelly Howell, a sophomore from Hickory Grove, SC, and co-chair of the SMC Relay for Life committee.

SMC director of major gifts Doc Holliday, a personal friend of Jordan's, says her story is one of inspiration.

"She is a breast cancer survivor that has not forgotten the help she received after her surgery. She is dedicated to passing on whatever encouragement she can to those that suffer from cancer, especially breast cancer," Holliday comments.

SMC president Dr. Colleen P. Keith will also speak at the event of her experiences with breast cancer. She was diagnosed this summer with breast cancer and is currently undergoing treatments.

Kathryn Hyder, clinical breast health coordinator for the Mary Black Health System, will be speaking at the event as well.

Pink Power Run: 5K and 1 Mile Fun Walk

In honor of Dr. Keith's fight with cancer, and the fight of so many other women, the students of Spartanburg Methodist College are hosting the "Pink Power Run," a 5K Run / 1 Mile Fun Walk, to raise money for breast cancer research and awareness.

The Oct. 30 event is being held by the SMC Relay for Life committee as part of their annual fundraising efforts. There is a $20 general public entry fee, which includes a race t-shirt. Students' entry fees are $10 each.

Race registration for the event will be at SMC's Grant Softball Field parking lot and opens at 7:45 am. The race starts at 8:30 am.

"We're very excited about hosting this event and having people from the community on campus. This is a great way for people to come together and spread awareness about breast cancer and raise money for the cause all as part of a very healthy event," says Kayla Dyson, a sophomore from Taylors, SC, and co-chair of the SMC Relay for Life committee.

Advance online registration and additional information are available on our Pink Power Run for Breast Cancer web page.

Spartanburg Methodist College is in its 100th academic year of providing quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.

For more information, contact Brian Fulkerson, director of public information, at (864) 587-4254 or publicinfo@smcsc.edu.