Nearly $1K For Breast Cancer Research Raised By South Huntington Students

SOUTH HUNTINGTON, NY — Stimson Middle School students participated in the school’s second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on Oct. 27 to support families and survivors affected by the disease.

The after-school event encouraged students to give back to their community while learning about the importance of compassion and civic engagement.

For seventh grader Gianna, the message was simple: “I don’t want them to think they’re forgotten.”

This year’s walk raised $935 for Stand Up for Suzanne, a Huntington nonprofit that funds breast cancer research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The fundraiser nearly doubled the amount collected during last year’s inaugural event.

“Our families were thankful to recognize not just the larger umbrella of cancer awareness, but the civic duty of young people showing that they care,” said Principal Michael Duggan, acknowledging how the walk has quickly become a meaningful tradition. “They feel like they’re doing something bigger than themselves.”

Students and teachers, dressed in pink, gathered on the outdoor basketball courts before walking two laps around the school’s back field. Each participant donated $5 and carried a certificate with the name of someone they were walking for or supporting. While some students walked in honor of loved ones, others joined to show solidarity.

“Doing these little things like walking around or raising money is a really good idea,” said seventh grader Henri. “It just really makes my heart beat with joy.”

Duggan said that beyond the funds raised, the event teaches empathy and awareness at a young age.

“Even a 12-year-old has a story—maybe about their mom, their grandmother, their uncle,” he said. “They might not fully understand it yet, but they can look back and say, ‘I did something for that.’”