Riley Alderman, club founder and sophomore

What inspired you to create Jenny’s Journey?

My mom was Jenny, and I was just very inspired by her strength, kindness and how she supported the organization of Twisted Pink. It inspired me once she passed to try and honor her memory in a way that supported that organization. 

What is the goal of Jenny’s Journey?

The goal of Jenny’s Journey is to raise funds and awareness of metastatic breast cancer and to fundraise through Twisted Pink. 

What does a typical meeting look like? / What kind of activities do you participate in?

Usually, we start off with a presentation by the officers, and we try and take inspiration of someone who is either a survivor, a fighter, or someone who has passed from metastatic breast cancer, so we try and honor them. Then we try and get some sort of craft or activity for team bonding to try and help everyone in the club be together and get to know one another. For our first meeting, we made cards for those in the cancer wing of the IU (Health) Hospital. Then we’ve done ribbons; just crafts for hands-on activities. 

How can students benefit from joining this club?

We’re trying to get distinguished (graduate) points, so that’s one advantage of the club and it’s something you can put on applications. It’s something that you also feel good doing because you’re helping people, and many people join because they know the cause or they know a person affected by it. It’s just a fun club, not too much of a commitment. 

What are you currently working on together?

Currently, we are working on our upcoming fundraiser, which is a shop-type event. We have gift baskets, jewelry, candles, stuff like that. It will be at St. Elizabeth Seton. Then, the proceeds will go towards Twisted Pink. 

What is your favorite memory of this club?

Probably our first meeting when we made the cards because my dad and I brought them to the hospital and it was just really inspirational seeing how emotional the receptionists got when they received the cards. 

Kate Jentz, club vice president and sophomore

Why did you decide to get involved in Jenny’s Journey?

I thought that it was a great cause. It’s a club to honor my friend Riley’s mom and to pay it forward. My grandma passed away from metastatic breast cancer, so it’s a very personal thing to me. When Riley asked me to be a part of it, I knew there was no way to say no because it’s such a good cause. I just felt like I had to be involved. 

What is the purpose of the club?

We fundraise for Twisted Pink, an organization that contributes to patient care and research for metastatic breast cancer. We make cards, blankets, and those kinds of things for breast cancer patients and drop them off at nearby hospitals. We also have a shop opening this Saturday to donate proceeds for breast cancer research. 

What is your favorite part of Jenny’s Journey?

It’s a great group of people; everyone is excited to be there, and again it’s a really great cause. There’s really nothing that feels better than making something that will make a difference, especially for those going through a hard time. 

Why do you think CHS students should get involved in Jenny’s Journey?
I think CHS students should join because there are many ways that people can help and make a real impact on patients who are being treated right now and support them. It’s a great way to get involved in the community and see your impact because for a lot of people, it’s something very personal to them. 

What is your next event planned?

Our next event is Saturday, March 16 at the St. Elizabeth Seton Church from 3 to 5 p.m., which is a pop-up shop with gifts, cookies, and more. Typically we meet in B204 for meetings.