When Villanova University’s Margaret Mooney was a sophomore, she couldn’t explain how she got on an exclusive e-mail list of prospective student volunteers. A year later, Mooney still can’t—only now, she’s the co-founder and president of Villanova Students Against Breast Cancer.
The organization grew out of professor Gerard Olson’s classroom. Every year, his seniors brainstorm ways to streamline the Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation, a local nonprofit that supports women and their families before and after diagnosis. Mooney answered the e-mail from her organization’s former president eager to enact what graduating seniors couldn’t. “It seemed like such a shame that we have this great big book of ideas and no one to do them,” says Mooney, whose 25-year-old cousin has been diagnosed twice with breast cancer. “I can’t help my cousin, but at least I can help other women not go through what she had to go through.”
This past fall, 30 students raised $3,500 via cupcake sales, a “Save 2nd Base” T-shirt fundraiser and a “Pick Up the Check” campaign at six local restaurants. Donated money goes to Linda Creed programs and services, including free mammograms at area hospitals for uninsured and underinsured women in the spring and fall. For more information, visit villanovabreastcancer.googlepages.com or lindacreed.org.
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