Nursing students to sign Hope Banner

Nipissing University / Canadore College
Joint News Release

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Students in the collaborative Nipissing University / Canadore College Nursing program will be signing the Write for Hope Banner at the Education Centre on Thursday, September 20 at noon in the Student Centre foyer.

The Write for Hope Banner is part of a campaign involving the Canadian Nursing Students Association (CNSA), Paper Mate and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to raise awareness and funds to support breast cancer research and education. The banner will be hanging in the student centre for 10 days and everyone is encouraged to sign it and write their own message.

During September, a Paper Mate Flexgrip Elite pink pen and a bookmark with information from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation will be given to over 20,000 CNSA members across Canada. In addition, a Write for Hope banner will be displayed on selected campuses where students can sign the banner and write their personal message of hope.

"It is important for us, as nursing students, to get involved in a leadership role in campaigns like this," said Chrissy Lefkimmiatis, third-year Nursing student in the Nipissing/Canadore program and Ontario Regional Director of the CNSA. "As nurses, we are going to be highly influential members in the health care system and will be in a position to help educate women to be breast aware. We encourage students from all programs, as well as staff and faculty at the Education Centre to come out, sign the banner and support breast cancer awareness."

One in nine Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

The goal of the Write for Hope campaign is to collect 5,000 signatures and inspiring messages. Paper Mate will make a contribution for each signature collected, and has generously committed $5,000 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation for this campaign in addition to their annual commitment of $50,000. The pink pens will be available in stores across Canada from September 1 to December 31, 2007.

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