October is breast cancer awareness month. During this time people wear pink to show support and that’s exactly what the students of Kamehameha Schools Maui did during a tri-campus Walk for Pauahi which was held at the track Kanaʻiaupuni stadium.

Mahie Borge, coordinator of the Walk for Pauahi said “This event was definitely about mahalo-ing Pauahi.” Breast cancer is significant to all KS campuses because it is the reason of our foundresses passing at the age of 52. In an article published by Maui Now it said “Maui has the highest rate of breast cancer in the state.” 

There is about 1.38 million new cases of cancer and 458 000 deaths from breast cancer each year. The National Breast Cancer Foundation said “ Over 3.3 million breast cancer survivors are alive in the United States today.” 

Mayo Clinic said “ Doctors know that breast cancer occurs when some breast cells begin to grow abnormally. These cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells do and continue to accumulate, forming a lump or mass.”

Doctors estimate that about 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to gene mutations passed through generations of a family.

Researchers have identified hormonal, lifestyle and environmental factors that may increase your risk of breast cancer. But it’s not clear why some people who have no risk factors develop cancer, yet other people with risk factors never do. It’s likely that breast cancer is caused by a complex interaction of your genetic makeup and your environment.