You’ll notice a Columbia Police vehicle wrapped in pink vinyl this month, as the Columbia Police Department and the Columbia Police Officers Association (CPOA) continue to raise awareness about breast cancer.
The CPOA paid for the decals. CPD officer Johnny Quirarte says all of the money raised this month will remain in Columbia.
“In 2019, CPOA teamed up to participate in the pink patch program. Since then, we’ve donated over $4,000 to this program which is pretty cool. So how can you participate? You can purchase a pink patch today for $15 or via our QR code. And the funds raised during October are going towards the purchase of imaging equipment at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center here in Columbia,” Quirarte says.
Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe has dyed her hair pink for CPOA and to raise awareness of breast cancer awareness month. Mayor Buffaloe, Officer Quirarte, Ellis Fischel representatives and breast cancer survivors spoke at a recent press conference in front of city hall. Chelsea Brunstrom, the wife of CPD officer Ryan Brunstrom, spoke at the ceremony:
“I was diagnosed in 2019 at the age of 31 and both my mother and my grandmother were also breast cancer survivors. So as a third-generation breast cancer survivor you can imagine that this is kind of important raising awareness. It’s near and dear to my heart,” Ms. Brunstrom says.
She’s emphasizing the importance of regular check-ups and self-exams.
“And it was in between those doctors visits that in a regular routine self-exam I found a lump … pretty scary. Because I was aware of my risks, that meant that I could contact my doctor right away and I was able to get started in treatment very quickly,” says Brunstrom.
