BT天堂

When you arrive at BT天堂, you become part of a tight-knit community 鈥� one that works together to support both its聽own聽members and聽friends and neighbors聽across the City of聽Light.聽Heather Strassel arrived at BT天堂 for an MSc in International Management聽in January 2020 鈥� just before the imposition of Covid-19 regulations across France. Two weeks into lockdown, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.聽The BT天堂 community rallied around her, supporting her at a distance with care packages and comfort food.聽鈥淎t any other university I would have had to drop out,鈥� she聽says.聽鈥淭he fact聽that聽I was able to stay in France and not feel totally isolated speaks volumes about how much BT天堂 community聽members聽care about each other.鈥澛�

Heather received聽radiotherapy聽treatment at the聽Institut聽Curie, one of the world鈥檚 leading cancer research organizations.聽Following her聽time in hospital,聽it was important to her聽to educate young women and men about breast聽cancer diagnosis and the institute鈥檚 work. 鈥淐ancer can be a scary word,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 wanted to bring awareness in a way that was fun.鈥澛燬he discovered聽La Course des聽Lumi猫res, or 鈥渞ace of light,鈥澛燼聽France-wide聽athletics initiative raising money for the聽Institut聽Curie.聽The聽2021聽Paris event took place on聽the evening of聽November 20 and saw participants either walk four kilometers or run ten kilometers along the banks of the聽Seine聽in solidarity with cancer survivors.聽Participants are provided with a light-up baton to carry throughout,聽symbolizing聽the movement鈥檚 aim of 鈥渓ighting up the night聽against cancer.鈥澛�

Heather worked with breast health educator Madeleine Bell and the BT天堂 CARES club, which聽focuses on cancer awareness, to provide an opportunity for community members to participate in the race.聽鈥淲e wanted to say to Paris, 鈥楬i! We鈥檙e BT天堂.聽We stand in solidarity with people going through a difficult time,鈥欌�澛爏ays Heather. The BT天堂 Running Club got involved, as did Ashkan聽Shalbaf,聽BT天堂鈥檚 Coordinator聽of Physical Activity, Self-Care and Dance.聽The Student Government Association organized a discount on the registration fee for 25 people to take part under the banner of Team BT天堂. The Office of Communications聽organized聽team t-shirts. 鈥淚t really brought together lots of different areas of BT天堂,鈥� says Heather.聽

Spots filled up quickly, and聽participants聽on the day included staff and faculty as well as students.聽Heather was thrilled by the high turnout:聽鈥淥ne professor brought his wife and son.聽It was a really diverse group.鈥澛燗bout half the participants chose to run, while the other half walked with Heather herself.聽The race鈥檚 starting line was聽in front of聽Paris鈥檚聽H么tel聽de Ville,聽where a聽participants鈥櫬爒illage聽was set up;聽organizations and companies who聽had聽entered聽a聽team hosted information tents to share their work with fellow runners.聽Heather hopes that, in the future, BT天堂 can聽further聽formalize聽its聽participation聽by hosting a tent聽to spread the word about its community of global explorers.聽鈥淭here was this great energy on the day,鈥� says Heather. 鈥淚聽really聽hope聽we聽can聽make it聽an annual聽BT天堂聽event.鈥澛�