OXFORD — Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School senior Bailey Wood made it her personal mission to raise awareness and funds to support breast cancer research and patients. The disease keeps hitting too close to home for her. Her great-grandmother is currently battling the disease, and she has had other family members and friends who have been diagnosed.

So, when her school assigned her a Senior Project to manage from start to finish, she knew what she wanted to do. She decided to start an awareness and fundraising campaign to support the fight against breast cancer. 

“It’s people like Bailey Wood that make me love my job. I love getting to meet passionate people,” says American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Community Manager Matt Kennedy. “Bailey’s dedication, hard work and continued support, along with her passion, is exactly what will help us to see this horrible disease eradicated.”

Wood organized her senior project through an event at Oxford Plains Dragway. She worked with the dragway to sell advance tickets to opening night as well as organized their first big rig drags, got sponsors for her T-shirts that she sold at the event, along with basket raffles, 50/50, and bake sale. She also had ACS on hand with an information and giveaway table.

Wood set out to raise $5,000. She crushed her goal and raised $5,560 to help support the fight against breast cancer. She has presented the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer with a check.

Wood said, “I was astonished on how many people showed up to the event. I’m grateful for everyone who supported me and everyone who donated, even if it was only a dollar. I’m proud of my community for coming together for my event.” 

Her efforts actually started last year when she had her truck painted pink and wrote special messages on the tailgate in support of those with breast cancer. It was after she saw the outpouring of support with her truck that she realized she could do more — reach people and really make a difference.

Oxford Hills senior, Bailey Wood, left, presents American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Community Manager Matt Kennedy with a check for $5,560. After family and friends were diagnosed with breast cancer, Wood decided to make it her senior project to raise money and awareness to help in the fight against the disease.

Bailey Wood is pictured with her pink truck, painted to raise awareness of breast cancer.

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