by Summer Bardia PA-S

What a day!!!  On October 6, 2007, the 40^th anniversary of the first graduating class of Physician Assistants, 35 local PAs from Pinellas County and PA students from Barry University’s St. Petersburg Expansion Program congregated as the West Florida FAPA Team in support of the Susan G. Komen/Suncoast Race for the Cure. 

When I arrived in downtown St. Pete that morning, at an early 6 a.m., there were already large groups of people walking towards the START line.  At that moment, I knew the event was going to be like no other that I had been a part of before.  The culmination of ideas, meetings, emails, conferences calls and planning was about to take place.  We were celebrating the 40^th PA Day as well as supporting for the fight against breast cancer.  And not only were our school and county involved with a breast cancer awareness event, but several PA programs and PA communities around Florida decided to celebrate PA Day (and kick-off the start of PA Week) in a similar fashion – by supporting the community around us. 

I have noticed over the past year that this is the essence of what being a PA is all about.  Okay, yes, it is about practicing medicine in partnership with your patients and other medical practitioners, as well.  But at the heart of what a PA is and does comes from a sense of community - belonging and contributing to the communities within which we all live.  My local PA community has come together and welcomed myself and other students from the start of our PA education.  And on this PA Day we have all come together to embrace the fight against breast cancer.  In fact, several schools (Barry St. Pete and Nova Naples) even overcame the ongoing, friendly, inter-school competitiveness to help each other get their teams ready to race in style.

This year, each PA Team that became involved with a Breast Cancer Cause individually made strides, but together as a whole, we made a huge impact.  The West Florida FAPA team made $1,830+ in donations.  Nova Naples was the highest grossing team at their event, donating $5,000+.  And the Barry University, Miami Shores program (2 weeks before their race even took place!!) ranked 4^th out of 137 in team donations with $5,090.  This years PA Day not only allowed us to become a part of a wonderfully moving and empowering event, but it allowed PAs to shine in their element – by contributing to their community. 

Happy 40^th Anniversary!!  Happy PA Day and Happy PA Week!!

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