The Round Up has been the voice of New Mexico State University since 1907. In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, we wanted to amplify that slogan by raising the voices of Aggies who’ve been impacted by the leading non-skin cancer among American women. The stories & poems below are from a few students who wanted to share their voices and stories with us. 

Winnie the Pooh, First Place

By: Nya Martinez

There’s a lump in my throat when I hear the doctor tell me about the lump in my breast. The gloved hands grope this arrogant lump – I feel it roll along with their fingers. Mom comes in and I know I don’t have to tell her anything but she knows this, she’s seen this, so I tell her and she handles it better than I expected. I’m used to her overbearingness, her taking over any situation. She starts talking and never stops the entire way home, her mouth becoming a blur while mine remains still.

My eyes begin to glaze over – “A lump, a lump” – I start to think of Winnie the Pooh and the old picture book that I have hidden in a childhood box of toys in the garage. Did Winnie the Pooh ever deal with something like this? No, that’s absurd, he’s a bear. But I want to know so badly so I tear apart the garage when I get home, my mom calling all her nurse friends while I dig for my old boxes of Winnie the Pooh toys, each of us on a mission of our own. My hands fumble and grasp at the toys, staring at each of them while I reminisce over my childhood joy. Ignore the lump, the lump in my breast, the lump in my throat, ignore ignore ignore and maybe it’ll just fade away.

My Grandmother, My Light, Honorable Mention

By: Anonymous

My grandmother was the sweetest soul taken too soon

For her, everything was shown in light.

She lit up every heart in the room,

But she put up the bravest fight.

Every day I pray,

And I sure rely on the hope

That there will be a cure someday.

1 in 8, Honorable Mention

By: Tea Davidson

1 in 8

We all know someone

Or are someone

Who’s felt that feeling

Of being at war

With something that lives within

But the odds are in our favor

90% survival

Towers over that 1 in 8.

It’s a fight worth fighting

And today

We’re the heavyweights