The Maricopa Unified School District will “Pink Out” for breast cancer awareness Friday.

All students, staff and faculty are encouraged to dress in pink from head to toe to raise awareness in the community for breast cancer patients.

Butterfield Elementary School third-grade teacher Zoe Redfern is participating in the Nov. 9-11 Phoenix Susan G. Komen 3-Day, a 60-mile walk  for the second consecutive year. Without any one person in mind, she said she walks for all people affected by breast cancer.

“Being in a family with two sisters, we have been taught to be aware,” Redfern said. “We have been very fortunate with our health, not all families are.”

Redfern identifies herself as a walker with a card on her classroom door. Students began asking questions last year, which she readily answered. She tells her students she wants to make the community more aware of the disease and is trying to help others.

“You don’t always need a reason to do something nice for someone else, even someone you don’t know,” she said.

This year, she is taking her walk preparations one step further by encouraging awareness in her school and district by having everyone “pink out.” She has district approval to invite all schools to participate.

“Awareness is key to stop this terrible disease from ruining more lives,” Redfern said. “I was touched by so many stories of survivors, families of deceased and current patients.”