Collegiate Times

Most people would assume that at any event featuring a large tour bus, an assemblage of fans and a parking lot full of cars that sport bumper stickers reading "I love my tatas" would be more suited for a Motley Crue concert. But this Tuesday, Squires Plaza will serve as a stop on a different type of tour. The Susan G. Komen Education "On the Go" tour bus will be parked on-campus to provide students and members of the community with essential information about breast health and breast cancer prevention.

The bus has been traveling to community events and universities along the East Coast since the tour began last May. It focuses on educating college-age students about general breast health and the importance of self-awareness.

"The goal is to reach people early, to do prevention work," said Jon Fritsch, a health educator at Schiffert Health Center. "Right now, we want to get (college students) in the habit of seeing doctors, understanding what's going on, learning their family history and watching out for breast cancer."

The bright pink bus is equipped with eight computer stations that give students essential information about breast health awareness and the breast cancer prevention movement. In addition, the event will include instructions on doing a breast self-exam, inspirational videos, an eight-foot graffiti wall for sharing memories or for declaring support for the cause, and information on ways to get involved in the movement both locally and nationally.

Kim Kirchhoff, a Komen "On the Go" staff member, emphasized that it is important to get involved in the movement early and spread the word about breast health because it is relevant to everyone.

"The thing that ties everything together is that everyone knows at least one person who's been affected by breast cancer," she said.

Julie Terrell, a junior statistics major and former member of the Relay for Life executive committee at Tech, has played a small part in supporting the cause. Currently she is a American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network advocate for her hometown in Maryland and believes that college students can have a tremendous influence on the cancer movement if they choose to get involved.

"I think that college students especially need to get involved in awareness because we're going to be the next generation of researchers, of doctors and then of patients even," Terrell said. "We're going to be the ones that are going to see the change that's going to happen when new cancer drugs are made."

The Komen "On the Go" educational bus will provide Virginia Tech students with all the information they need to get them involved in the breast cancer movement. Representatives from Schiffert Health Center, the Women's Clinic and the Roanoke Susan G. Komen affiliate will also be at the event to answer questions and provide details of their respective organizations.

If getting healthy isn't incentive enough to stop by the event on your way to class, all students will leave the event with a pink drawstring bag, and there will be a chance to win a free iPod Nano for all students who participate in a quick survey at the interactive learning center.