The “Rally in the Valley” began Thursday night as campaign members, community leaders and the public flooded the lobby of Shelton Intermediate School.
The campaign is asking the community to raise $1 million to help create The Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital.
Organizers are hoping the community can come up with 50 percent of the estimated $2 million price tag.
“Many events will be needed to make this campaign a success,” said campaign co-chair Susan Coyle. “It’s going to take the whole community.”
The lobby was a sea of pink as patrons sported the color in support of breast cancer awareness. A dozen tables set up in a semi-circle offered ways to donate to the campaign.
There was a table with sign-ups for a bocce tournament on Sept. 11, a 5K walk/run on Oct. 2 and a swim across the Housatonic on Aug. 22.
T‑shirts with a graphic of two interlocked hearts and the campaign’s slogan, “For Love of Life, for Lives We Love,” were being sold for $10 each.
After 30 minutes, patrons began to spill into the adjacent auditorium for a presentation from the campaign’s leaders.
“Please stand if you have breast cancer or are a survivor of breast cancer,” Coyle, a breast cancer survivor herself, said to audience.
About five women stood.
“Please stand if you lost a family member from breast cancer.” The group more than doubled.
“Please stand if you have a mother, daughter, cousin or co-worker who has or has had breast cancer.”
About 75 percent of the patrons were now standing.
Coyle said more than $100,000 had already been raised through community fundraising.
“People realize we have the potential to serve the valley here,” said Zandra Cheng, a Griffin Hospital surgeon recruited to direct the center.
Cheng was humbling in her self-advocacy: “I am not the guest of honor, you are,” she told the audience, “You are the reason we do what we do.”
Nanci Yuliano, of Southbury by way of Seymour, came to the rally because she has a friend “working for the cause.”
She also wanted to show support for Griffin, a 100-year-old community hospital.
“I was born in Griffin Hospital, so was my husband and my two kids,” she said. Yuliano said it is important to have a local place where breast cancer patients can go for treatment.
Cheng talked about her first meeting with Patrick Charmel, President and CEO of Griffin Hospital.
“I did warn Pat, ‘I’m not a cheap date,’” whereupon she gestured to the fundraising thermometer next to her with $1 million at its summit. “But how do you put a price on life?”
