Pearl River Teachers Association Raises $11,000 To Fight Breast Cancer

PEARL RIVER, NY — The Pearl River Teachers Association came in second in a friendly fundraising competition to raise money for breast cancer research, patient support and advocacy.

New York State United Teachers had 174 teams who participated in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks across the state, raising over $275,000 to save lives and fund the future of cancer research, patient support and advocacy.

The Pearl River teachers union raised nearly $11,000, NYSUT officials said.

Marni Hogne, seventh-grade special education teacher and member of the Pearl River TA, said that when she goes around requesting donations for Making Strides, it’s hard to find someone who hasn’t been personally affected by the disease.

Hogne has been involved with Making Strides of Hudson Valley in Central Valley since 2018, the same year she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.

"For me, it became personal," Hogne said. Following her diagnosis, she had two surgeries, and months of chemotherapy and radiation. "Research saved my life, and I wanted to make sure that other people facing this diagnosis got the same level of care I got," she said.

This year, NYSUT’s top fundraising team came from Niagara County. The Starpoint Teachers Association raised over $12,000 in the battle to beat breast cancer, a mission that hits home for the union and school community. Starpoint TA member, top individual fundraiser on the team, and first-grade teacher Tara Pfohl was first diagnosed with stage 3A breast cancer at just 34 years old. After a bilateral mastectomy, four months of chemotherapy, seven weeks of radiation and several reconstructive surgeries, Pfohl’s doctor declared her cancer was in remission.

Then, in May of 2021, her breast cancer returned. It had spread to her spine and pleural lung space, and she was diagnosed with stage 4, metastatic breast cancer. While there is no cure, thanks to advances in research and technology there are medications that help patients like Pfohl manage it.

"I’m living with cancer, but I’m really living with it. I’m thriving," Pfohl said. "Making Strides gives everyone an opportunity to come together and support one another, celebrate the wins, see all the people – survivors and thrivers – together and know that there are other people out there who have experienced the same thing as you."

Now a flagship sponsor of the annual Making Strides events, NYSUT has been walking in solidarity with individuals who have been diagnosed with breast cancer since 2002. During that time, NYSUT members from Jones Beach to Buffalo have raised over $16.6 million.