The T-shirts have "York Cares" and the pink breast cancer ribbon printed on the front.

As part of the launch, information and sales tables will be set up at locations around the Keele campus from October 1 to 3 with the help of campaign partners that include alumni group, york is U, college councils, and other community volunteers.

"Breast cancer does not affect just the old," said Carole Carpenter, York professor of humanities in the Faculty of Arts. Carpenter, a folklorist and former master of Vanier College, is an active participant in raising community awareness about breast cancer.

"We all know someone diagnosed with the disease or have lost a friend or family member because of it," Carpenter said. "This campaign gives us another opportunity to show our support for all those affected."

The national campaign is organized by Canadian Campus Retail Associates and involves 22 campus bookstores from across the country.

In addition to York University, the other university bookstores participating in the program are: Brock University, Concordia University, University of Toronto, Queen's University, University of Calgary, Ryerson University, Vancouver Island University, University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, Grant MacEwan College, McMaster University, University of Manitoba, McGill University, Mount Royal College, University of Western Ontario, Guelph University, University of Saskatchewan, Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Alberta, University of Waterloo and Thompson Rivers University.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women, with about 431 women diagnosed every week. In 2008, an estimated 22,400 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, with about 5,300 dying. In young adults, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cancer cause of death. While breast cancer rates have recently been declining somewhat overall, more and more young people are losing their lives to very aggressive forms of the disease.

York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as more than 200,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 24 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.

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