Think Pink: Students and parents host fundraisers and run businesses contributing to Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Entrepreneur and East parent Liz Benditt is partnering with the American Cancer Society for her business, Balm Box — an online gifting site that sells care packages for cancer patients nationwide.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Balm Box will sell two specialty products in a $50 package to combat tenderness during breast cancer surgery recovery and treatment. The first is a T-bone-shaped pillow to tuck under a seatbelt, and the second is a side pillow to cushion beneath arms. Benditt — who has been diagnosed with cancer four times in 10 years — was inspired to include these products due to the chest pain she experienced after her own surgery.

“They’re the kinds of things you don’t realize you need until you need them,” Benditt said. “Especially when you’re going through breast cancer surgery and various treatments, your chest and upper torso [are] really tender and the weight and friction of the seat belt can be really painful.”

At the end of the month, 15% of the sales will go to the ACS. Balm Box will sell boxes at the Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk through downtown Kansas City on Oct. 22.

Through these products and other specialized care packages, Benditt aims to provide functional gifts for cancer patients. 

Before launching in October 2020, she sent out a survey to patients of varying cancer diagnoses to determine the most useful items during treatment and recovery. In her boxes, she sells the highest-ranked items — lip balm, lotion, fluffy blankets — as opposed to inspirational products.

“When you ask gift buyers, ‘What do you mostly buy cancer patients?’ it’s mostly flowers, food and ‘kicking cancer’ logo stuff,” Benditt said. “And I thought, ‘Wow, there’s this real disconnect between what cancer patients actually want and need and what people are buying them. And wouldn’t it be great if I could close that gap with the business?’ That’s how Balm Box came to be.”

While the company is doing a special promotion this month, its products are available year-round at thebalmbox.com as gifts for patients with several types of cancer — including the four types of cancer Benditt experienced: melanoma skin cancer, thyroid cancer, basal cell skin cancer and breast cancer.

Seniors Sarah McConwell and MJ Wolf and junior Ellie McDermed will host a bake sale fundraiser and raffle on Oct. 18 for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

As SHARE project chairs of the Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation Fundraiser, the three students have partnered with Summer Salt Ice Cream in Corinth Square to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Research Awareness Foundation. From 3-9 p.m., customers can contribute to the cause by buying ice cream, with 15% of the proceeds going to the foundation, according to McConwell. 

While the event was hosted during East football games at the North stadium in past years, the cancellation of games during the pandemic resulted in a need for relocation. According to McConwell, this has allowed them more flexibility, adding a bake sale to the fundraiser this year. 

During the fundraiser, parents and students will sell treats with 100% of proceeds going to the cause, and rafflers can enter to win a $50 Summer Salt gift card. Both the raffle and baked goods will be sold outside of Summer Salt during the entire event.

Since the event’s location was switched to Summer Salt, the project has surpassed the fundraising record by $300 each year. McConwell attributes this to the ease of community members buying locally instead of at a football game.

“It’s easier to get people to come to an ice cream place and buy stuff, not just a football game, because it’s just kids normally at a football game and they don’t really pay attention to [the fundraiser],” McConwell said. “Now, everybody in the community [comes] and it’s really rewarding.”

This year, McConwell projects to raise over $200 more than last year due to the addition of the bake sale.

Through the American Cancer Society on Campus, seniors Paige Zadoo and Sofia Blades partnered with SHARE to raise $289 at an East soccer game at the Shawnee Mission Athletic Complex on Oct. 7.

Blades and Zadoo recruited seven student volunteers from various grades for a “Miracle Minute” fundraiser. As a timer counted down from a minute, volunteers ran through the student section with buckets to collect donations. After the timer rang, the announcer broke down statistics of the average number of people diagnosed with cancer each year, day and minute. 

Donations went to the society, which funds research, programs and services for cancer survivors, according to ACS Senior Development Manager McKenzie Marshall, who sees the event as an efficient way to raise funds and awareness at the community level. 

“The miracle minute is representing that life lost each minute and taking a minute out of halftime or a minute in between sets at a volleyball game or something where we’re already there for something that’s brought us together,” Marshall said. “We’re taking that stat and saying, ‘OK, for 60 seconds we’re gonna try to raise as many funds as possible.’”

The project also partnered with Student Store to distribute all profits of their pink breast cancer awareness T-shirts to the ACS. The shirts cost $10 and will be available all month while supplies last.

The fundraisers are the first of a series of events that the chapter founders will host throughout the year through their ACSC chapter. Once a month, volunteers will help with small fundraisers, according to Zadoo, such as a silent auction with student art pieces or a relay race for breast cancer awareness. Applications for chair roles to volunteer and set up events are available on the club Instagram, @smerelayforlife.