Pink pom poms flew high at L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital Friday as the Fort Dale Academy cheerleaders and Greenville High School marching band and cheerleaders put on a pep rally for breast cancer awareness.

Rebecca Butts, volunteer coordinator with Alacare Home Health and Hospice thanked everyone for coming.

“October is breast cancer awareness month so along with Alacare and L.V. Stabler Hospital, we just wanted to reach out into the community and make awareness of early detection,” Butts said. “With our facilities here at the hospital, they’re capable of mammograms and early detection and what better way with fall football to involve Fort Dale and Greenville High School’s band and cheerleaders and SGA to reach out and try and get the community involved.”

Rose Lecoq, the care transition coordinator at Alacare said she was excited to have the high schools come out and bring awareness.

“Both Stabler and Alacare Home Health and Hospice are so pleased that these schools, both Greenville High School and Fort Dale, would take the opportunity to bring breast cancer awareness to their schools and to the community,” Lecoq said. “We invited them to come out to kick off the breast cancer awareness at the hospital for the whole month.”

Butts hopes that people will take the time to become aware and take care of themselves.

“Many people probably don’t know October is breast cancer awareness month,” Butts said. “Many people don’t put themselves first and go and get their yearly mammograms like they should, so hopefully someone that has waited too long and needs to go back, maybe they’ll say ‘Hey, I need to go get that mammogram.’”

Jason Tucker, band director at Greenville High School , was happy the band could participate.

“It’s a great cause, and any time the band can get experience out in the community and support a community event, that’s what we want to do,” Tucker said.

“[The band] works hard, and it’s really all about the community and the city you’re in.”