Finding Purpose in Pink

While breast cancer is a very serious issue, let me share my story of some amazing women and men that I have met in my position at the DeWitt Community Hospital Foundation, the local fundraising organization that supports Genesis Medical Center – DeWitt. Laughter is the best medicine according to them!  I have been with the foundation for 10 months, but after meeting Sherry Stauffer, the woman who started the entire month of local breast cancer awareness, her passion soon inspired me too!  I am graciously aware of my surroundings when I sit around a table of 13 amazingly kind, courageous and very humorous individuals on our Pink for the Cure Committee.  Six members of this committee are breast cancer survivors.  The rest of us have either had or know someone affected by this crazy disease.  Yet, at every meeting there is one common goal . . .  get the word out to everyone about getting annual mammograms to help with early detection. There is not a meeting where we don’t laugh or think of something joyful.  If you’re lucky enough to meet one of these inspiring women be prepared to laugh; they may tell you a prosthesis story or a good one about a wig!

Let me give you a glimpse of what the month holds.  A Community Challenge of lighting up the whole town of DeWitt in Pink; Movie and Mammo night . . . and no, you don’t get a mammogram, it’s just a fun night at DeWitt Operahouse Theatre watching a chick flick and drinking some TYCOGA wine; Community Pink Out, where you are encouraged to wear pink on October 7 (Men this includes you too!); The Pink Stronger Than You Think Event at Springbrook Country Club featuring former television personality Carolyn Wettstone, speaking about how she kicked the cancer fairy’s butt (now tell me, who wouldn’t want to learn about that?), and lastly our very own Joan Reynolds, teaching us how to paint at TYCOGA.

Feel the passion!  Get your pink on for the month of October as we celebrate our fifth anniversary of these great events (Five years is a big number for survivors of breast cancer as a milestone in their journey).

Robin Krogman – Director, DeWitt Community Hospital Foundation

Facts about Breast Cancer in the United States

  • One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.
  • Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women.
  • Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women.
  • Each year it is estimated that over 246,660 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than 40,000 will die of the disease.
  • Although breast cancer in men is rare, each year an estimated 2,600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 440 of them will die.
  • On average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, and one woman dies of breast cancer every 13 minutes.
  • Over 2.8 million breast cancer survivors are alive in the United States today. This remarkable number is directly related to early detection and treatment,

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