In tribute to breast cancer awareness month, Stetson staff members traded their usual green uniforms for pink at an Oct. 26 charity event held at the university’s Lynn Business Center. The event, coordinated by Rajni Shankar-Brown, PhD, professor and Jessie Ball duPont Endowed Chair of Social Justice Education, along with Stetson dining employee Barbara Boltz, DeLand Fraternal Order of Eagles president, raised donations by offering pink hair extensions for $10 each.

All proceeds went to Charlene’s Dream, a cancer support center in Daytona Beach. Open to anyone diagnosed with cancer seeking support, the center operates from a freestanding cottage on the campus of Seabreeze United Church of Christ. It provides wigs, hats, scarves, mastectomy bras, breast prosthetics, compression sleeves and stockings, Breast Cancer 101 classes, and “Girls Night Out” events. The center is staffed by volunteers, many of whom are survivors and health care professionals.

Local hair stylist Darrin Gagnon, owner of Styles of Daytona, performed the hair extensions for the charity event, which took about a minute per strand to insert. 

“If we can’t help make some money for some good causes, what are we in this world for? And I have the ability to do something. It’s in my wheelhouse. This is what I do,” Gagnon said. “I’m able to do something that I do all the time to give back to the community.”

Among those in attendance were also members of the Orange City Fraternal Order of Eagles club, one of whom was a breast cancer survivor.

Celine Steenken, president of the Orange City Eagles and a retired night-shift nurse, beat her fight with cancer 14 years ago. She stressed the importance of regular mammogram screenings. 

“If I hadn’t gone to get that mammogram, it was stage three, so it could have turned into stage four. I got so sick … my oncologist said, ‘I’m surprised you didn’t quit,” Steenken said. “[Chemo treatment] saved my life. And it made me here to see my grandchildren.”

Steenken’s chapter of the Eagles partners with Charlene’s Dream support center.

“I’m lucky I had my husband to support me,” Steenken added. “But if you’re by yourself and don’t have a family member or someone with you, they [Charlene’s Dream] will give you support.”

Shankar-Brown spoke about how vital community outreach is for causes such as cancer. 

“With so many lives impacted by breast cancer … accessible education, trusted community partnerships, screenings, and informed health decisions are essential to building healthier communities and saving lives,” Shankar-Brown said. “Education and community partnerships are powerful drivers of public health progress.”

Shankar-Brown also shared a personal interest in the cause.

“For me, this mission is also deeply personal because cancer, including breast cancer, has taken [my] loved ones. I strive to channel my pain into purpose or meaningful action through education and community organizing,” Shankar-Brown said.

“Everybody knows somebody who’s had some type of cancer,” said Boltz. “To have support like [the kind] Charlene’s Dream can give you is just awesome.”

Boltz, pleased with the turnout, plans to continue charity events like these within her chapter. “I’m all for charity work, and I love doing charity work,” she noted. “I want to thank everybody that showed up.”

Shankar-Brown also expressed future plans for a larger, widespread annual event each October: “We plan to do this again and will be opening up our next event to the wider community, Volusia County and beyond.”

– Article and photos by Breanna Gergen ’28