With October dedicated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, many activities and benefits are scheduled for the month in north Clark County to raise awareness and money to support local efforts and programs.
Pink Lemonade Project Chief Executive Officer Susan Stearns said Breast Cancer Awareness Month is important for many reasons, from raising awareness of the disease, to allowing people to grieve and supporting efforts to aid in research in Clark County.
“It’s definitely a time to celebrate and spread health, breast health information and awareness, but there’s a soft side, as well,” Stearns said. “We want to really balance what it means for all of us and how we tell the story about breast cancer because there are a range of outcomes.”
Through many fundraisers across the Portland Metro area, community members can support the efforts of the Pink Lemonade Project, which offers programs and services for emotional, educational, financial and psychological support to patients, families and caregivers.
The nonprofit was founded in 2010 by a local physician husband and wife duo, Drs. Allen and Cassie Gabriel.
Stearns said the month of October begins with the Girlfriends Run/Walk on the Vancouver Waterfront. The event offers a half marathon, 10-kilometer and 6k run/walk.
“It’s up to 2,000 people running and walking on Sunday, Oct. 13,” Stearns said. “I believe the race starts just before 9 a.m., but it is an event put together by Why Racing, which is a Vancouver-based race production company, and Pink Lemonade Project is the main beneficiary. It’s been a long-time partnership between the two organizations, but it’s really a breast cancer awareness and breast cancer fundraising event. The dollars that get donated to the Pink Lemonade Project go to support our program and mission. It’s a fun morning out on the waterfront, and we encourage people to register.”
For more information, visit pinklemonadeproject.org/girlfriends-run/.
A free breast health screening for qualified individuals will take place from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Kearney Breast Center at PeaceHealth Southwest Washington Medical Center, 200 Mother Joseph Place, Suite 420, Vancouver. The screening event is available to people at least 40 years old who are uninsured or underinsured. Clinical breast exams, 3D digital screening mammograms and, if need be, additional services will all be available at no charge.
Stearns said the United States Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age for when people should start getting mammograms from 50 to 40 years of age. In the Pacific Northwest, one in seven women are diagnosed with breast cancer.
“The really important news or information is that caught earlier, breast cancer is a treatable disease, and there are much more favorable health outcomes to catch the disease earlier rather than a later stage diagnosis, when it is potentially spread further than beyond the breast,” Stearns said. “So we definitely want people to get back into the routine of regular mammograms.”
Stearns stressed that the disease does not only affect women.
“This is not just a women’s disease. All mammals have breast tissue,” she said. “So it’s men, women and the trans and queer community. There’s lots of complexity because we live in the Pacific Northwest, and any mammal has breast tissue is how I’ve been saying it lately.”
Stearns said people younger than 40 should consult with their doctors if they have concerns or signs of cancer, such as redness or swelling and pain, a lump and discharge, among other symptoms.
Upcoming fundraising events for the Pink Lemonade Project will take place in the region during October. Different stores or organizations, such as Fred Meyer and the Playmakers Hospitality Group, will donate a portion of their sales, during October. As well, Ridgefield High School is hosting a Dig Pink event at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18.
Visit pinklemonadeproject.org for more information on ways to get involved and donate.
