The Think Pink project was cathartic for CedarBridge students who have lost family or friends to cancer.

Fourteen-year-old Elisha Smith still finds it difficult to face that she lost her mother when she was only four years old. Being so young, her memories of her mother are not as vivid as she would like.

?I do remember that she used to make chocolate chip cookies and, when she was making them, she would give my brother and I some of the chips to eat,? she said.

That is Elisha?s fondest memory of her mother Gina. But she also remembers being scared and cannot recall what her mother might have said to comfort her.

For Elisha taking part in the project was a way of perhaps helping other children avoid the emotional pain she has endured. She envisages the money she raised ($450) helping women prevent cancer or detect it early enough to cure.

?I would do it again because I feel it was a good cause,? she said.

Today she learns about her mother from her father and maternal grandmother.

Courtney Lambert was 11 years old when breast cancer claimed her mother. ?The day she died I felt that couldn?t continue without her,? she said. ?My whole self-esteem dropped from being an athlete, having good grades and self respect. I knew I couldn?t make it through life heading down that path.?

Taking part in the CedarBridge project gave Courtney an opportunity to celebrate her mother, Cindy Lambert, and others who have fought breast cancer.

?Growing up I was always a mama?s girl. Wherever my mother went, I was always there to follow. She called me her little angel. She was the best mother anyone would want or would ever need,? she said. ?She was my best friend. I told her everything and she always gave me good advice. We went everywhere together ? shopping abroad and even to the hospital for her weekly check-ups.

?She is gone but will always be in our hearts. Her beautiful smile we will see when we are down. Her inspirational voice we will hear when we are in deep situations. Her sensitive touch we will feel when we need someone to hug.

?She will always be loved.? Courtney raised $150 in pledges for the walk, took part in all the Think Pink activities and said: ?Of course I would love to do it again. I think it was a good cause, I felt like I was helping someone and it was also very fun.?

Seventeen-year-old Damika Swan said the reality of breast cancer hit her hard when her godmother Valerie Dill died two years ago during the holidays.

?She was like a second mom and her death really touched me,? she said. ?I knew she was going to die. She had been living in England and came home to be close to family. I visited her every day and I could see that she was dying slowly but surely.

?I saw her the day that she died and I could tell that she was going. I would talk to her and I could tell that she could hear me but couldn?t talk. That night we got the call and I cried. It was bad.?

But Damika said the think Pink Project helped lessen her feeling of hopelessness.

?Doing the project, I felt closer to my cousin in Atlanta. We had the same Godma and I felt I was doing it for both of us. It was a contribution to her (Ms Dill) and all who are struggling with this disease,? she said.

Admirably, Damika raised $800 in pledges, the highest of any student.

?Doing this made me feel good and I know that my Godma would have been proud of me,? she said. ?I plan to do it every year from now on.?

Kiani Caisey said she never entertained the idea of her mother dying.

?I was sure I wasn?t going to lose my mom,? she said. ?Oh I had faith. I knew nothing would happen to her. That no one would take my mother away from me.?

Miss Caisey?s mother Cindy was diagnosed with breast cancer last year but had an operation and is now cancer free.

The ordeal was taxing for both mother and daughter. ?My mother tried to deal with it here but she ended up having to go away,? she said. ?She was away for about two months. It felt like she was away for years. I cried every night on the phone with her because so many things were happening to me here when she left. One of my best friends died in a bike accident. I had to tell my mother this over the phone. It was hard.

?I was scared that I was making her feel worse with my problems.?

Kiani learned a lot about breast cancer through her mother having to research the illness herself. The experience has left her a strong supporter of cancer awareness although she is insistent that she would have participated in the Think Pink Project ?even if this didn?t happen. I felt good about it. It was a good cause and the right thing to do?. Miss Caisey and fellow CedarBridge student Christopher Douglas each raised $150 in pledges.

Christopher has a faint recollection of his best friend?s mother dying when he was ten years old. Despite this, he said his motivation to participate was purely that he felt the Think Pink project was a good cause.

A keen footballer and cricketer, he feels community involvement is important. ?I felt very good about myself when I got the pledges,? he said.

Feeling a close bond with teacher Nadia Tuckett, he said he also took part because it was her project.