By Ellen Siefke
Editor-in-Chief 
Around one in eight women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. If Prospect represented the United States, as many as 150 current female students would be diagnosed. Some are already affected, as their loved ones are either fighting or succumbed to the disease.
Replacing the long-standing Volley for a Cure event is U-Knight for a Cure, which, according to the Underground (the U) coordinator Frank Mirandola, aims to increase participation throughout the school as opposed to focusing on one sport.
Mirandola sees the event as taking advantage of an opportunity to get the school involved in the week’s activities and spread awareness as a community. He notes members of the U have been largely responsible for putting the event together and views the week as a student-generated fundraiser.
“They’ve been unbelievable,” Mirandola said. “They saw an opportunity and took advantage of it.”
U-Knight for a Cure began Oct. 9 with selling t-shirts for $10, and for each shirt sold, $6 will be donated to the Northwest Community Hospital Foundation for research. Raffle ticket will be sold next week for $1 or six for $5, and buyers have the opportunity to win prizes such as gift cards.
The week will culminate with the home football game Oct. 17 versus Buffalo Grove, where the raffle winners will be announced, and those who have battled or are battling breast cancer will be honored.
Volley for the Cure raised $10,000 last year, and this year’s goal is to surpass that amount. Students can help by buying a shirt and raffle tickets and spreading word throughout the school. Every $160 raised buys a woman a mammogram, so even matching $10,000 would give over 60 women mammograms.
Overall, Mirandola hopes the week will bring awareness within the Prospect community and support for those battling the disease.
“A large percentage of the Prospect population will be affected by breast cancer in the future,” Mirandola said. “It’s important for us as a community to come together in support.”