CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Clarksville Area YMCA was the recipient of a generous donation from the Rossview High School Varsity and Junior Varsity cheerleaders.

The teams donated $600 to support local breast cancer survivors through the ABC (After Breast Cancer) program. By creating custom breast cancer awareness t-shirts, they met their goal of selling more than 125 shirts.

Many members of the squad were motivated due a family member or friend affected breast cancer – and all worked to rally the whole school to join them in the supporting the cause. Additionally, Victory Print Shop in Dover helped the campaign by reducing shirt prices to allow them to give more profit directly to the ABC Program.

The top three sellers were Tressie Smith, Miranda Simon and Catherine Bagby. “We chose the Y’s ABC Program as the recipient of the donation because we wanted to support local survivors in our own community,” explained one of the girls.

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. The After Breast Cancer program provides comprehensive nutrition, exercise and wellness services free of charge to breast cancer patients and survivors. By providing survivors with a free 16-week membership to the YMCA, they have full use of all facilities to begin building back their strength, flexibility, and even relationships.

By meeting other survivors, connections are made with someone who really “gets it” and can help them find their “new normal.” In addition to the support and encouragement, the participants receive weekly sessions with Pink Ribbon Personal Trainers, fitness experts certified to design workouts specifically for survivors of breast cancer. One of the Pink Ribbon trainers explains, “We know what limitations survivors have and how to help them get their strength back as well as their range of motion, which can be really limited after a mastectomy especially.”

Susanna Powers, Outreach Program Director at the Y, commented on the donation, saying, “The ABC program is such an important part in the healing and recovery process for our breast cancer survivors. Even when they are done with treatment and surgeries, they still have a long road ahead. And that’s where we come in. The ABC Program would not be here without the support of local foundations, individual donors, and generous folks like Rossview High School. Our program gives ladies a sense of community with other women who have fought the same hard battles they have. We are so thankful for these cheerleaders and the whole school for this generous gift.”

The ABC program is funded entirely through donations and grants.

For more information:
Clarksville Area YMCA
260 Hillcrest Drive
931-647-2376
http://ymcamidtn.org/programs/support-groups/after-breast-cancer