October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and that means one thing at Mercy Home: our annual “Walsh Goes Pink” event at our girls home. 

This special evening is a longstanding tradition at our Walsh Campus and included a dinner with a theme and fun treats like pink Alfredo sauce, pink rolls, and pink cupcakes for dessert. Everyone dressed in pink and ate in a beautifully decorated cafeteria. 

“Every year we try, and I think do, make it a little more special to highlight the importance of women’s health issues and bring attention to Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” Amy Schulz, associate vice president of Walsh Campus programs, said. 

Schulz, along with program manager Gewanda Monroe and Mercy Home’s nurse Miranda McDonald, worked together to plan this year’s event. This year was especially notable because it was the first time since 2019 that all our youth could gather in one place for Walsh Goes Pink. 

McDonald prepared a slideshow to share with our kids about breast cancer facts, who is at risk, signs of breast cancer, how to lower your risk, and how to do self-checks to catch a problem early. Coworkers also shared handouts about how to do these self-checks so our girls can stay on top of their health. 

After dinner and the slideshow presentation, everyone planted pink pinwheels in the front yard of the Walsh Campus as an acknowledgment of someone in their life who may have struggled with cancer of any type. In addition to the ceremonial aspect of the activity, the display will also serve to raise awareness in the community about breast cancer. 

“That was a more outward expression that we haven’t done before,” Schulz said. “I’d love to continue to do that, just draw attention and increase the level of awareness in the community.” 

The ceremony was especially poignant for the many youth and coworkers who know someone who has been affected by cancer or has been lost to it. In addition to awareness, Walsh Goes Pink was also an opportunity for our kids to remember and honor the strength of both survivors and those who are no longer with us.  

“It’s a way for us to come together around something that has probably touched all of our lives and experience and honor that together,” Schulz said. 

Schulz also noted how engaged the girls were throughout the evening. One of our young women was also able to encourage one of her peers to begin doing self-exams and share her own experience with her.  

“It was really cool to see them grasping the importance of it and [know] to say something if they feel like something’s going on [with their body],” Schulz said. “We have these kids at a time where their bodies are developing, and we want to create that level of self-awareness and make it okay for them to ask questions. [This interaction] showed me we can put those issues on the table and talk about them so [our kids] don’t have to navigate things alone.”