May 2015
President's Corner |
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By Pat Halpin-Murphy, President & Founder
It was a powerful and inspirational evening in Erie last week as local breast cancer survivors shared their stories of hope and courage. The PA Breast Cancer Coalition was honored to showcase its photo exhibit, 67 Women, 67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in Pennsylvania at the beautiful Ramond M. Blasco, M.D. Memorial Library. More than 100 guests participated in the exhibit opening reception on Thursday, May 7.
From the moment they hear the words, "You have breast cancer," every woman endures a unique and complicated battle. Sue Fassette is a 3-time survivor now thriving through her connections to the Erie support group Linked By Pink. Bettylou Perkins spoke of her own struggles and determination to beat breast cancer from Day 1. |
The PBCC was also thrilled to welcome Mary Rennie, Executive Director of the Erie County Public Library, Joanne Grossi, Regional Director for Region III of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Kathy Dahlkemper, Erie County Executive and Dr. Greg Engel, Medical Director of the Comprehensive Breast Program at UPMC Hamot as speakers for the evening.
We want to thank everyone who shared in our celebration of life, courage, hope and dignity last week. If you have not seen the exhibit yet, you still have time!. It will be on display at the Blasco Library through May 17!
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| Legislative Advocacy |
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Now that mammography facilities in Pennsylvania are required to notify women of their breast density (a result of the PBCC's Breast Density Notification Act), we need your help with the next steps on this critical advocacy effort. We believe our actions will save the lives of women across the state. |
We have developed two surveys: one for women in our state and one for the mammography centers they visit for screenings like mammograms, ultrasounds, MRIs and 3D mammograms (tomosynthesis).
The PBCC needs to gather information from both women and facilities in order to develop resources, materials and corresponding legislation to follow the Breast Density Notification Act. Please take 5 minutes and fill out the survey that best fits your role in our outreach efforts.
Take Action. Save Lives.
Go the extra mile: click here to print the survey and bring it to your mammography facility!
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| Survivor Stories |
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Doris represents Wayne County in the PBCC's photo exhibit "67 Women, 67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in Pennsylvania." |
Doris Rogers, Wayne County
"We have five children and 10 grandchildren. I'll be 87 years old in a few weeks. My daughters are very aware and I know they get their mammograms on time. They always do."
Things have changed a bit since I was diagnosed with breast cancer 32 years ago. Now they do radiation, which wasn't a prevalent form of treatment back then. I discovered a lump and watched it for a few months before my diagnosis. I had a mastectomy on December 30, 1982, and a month later I started on chemotherapy.
Read more about Doris>> |
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| Grassroots Partners |
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Springtime means gardening, planting, mulching and PINK DAY at Stauffers of Kissel Hill Garden Centers! Join us on Saturday, June 6th at all 8 locations in Central PA for this 4th annual event! The fun runs all day, with a bake sale, educational info from PBCC (10am-2pm), and your chance to win a pink garden from Stauffers of Kissel Hill! Additionally, 2% of all sales on Pink Day will go to support PBCC's programs and services for breast cancer survivors in PA!
Get the details here>> |
Would you like to organize a fundraiser for the PBCC? Visit pbcc.me/hostevent
or contact Kristen@PABreastCancer.org for more information.
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| Medical Update |
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The PA Breast Cancer Coalition Board of Directors presented Dr. Craig Meyers with an additional $100,000 grant for his research in 2014. The first $100,000 grant in 2011 has resulted in the publication of these results. |
The research of Dr. Craig Meyers
and his team at Penn State College of Medicine, which was funded by the PA Breast Cancer Coalition in 2011, has been published in Cancer Biology & Therapy. They have determined that a virus not known to cause disease kills triple-negative breast cancer cells and killed tumors grown from these cells in mice. Understanding how the virus kills cancer may lead to new treatments for breast cancer. Want to learn how?
Read about this breast cancer research> |
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| Patient Advocacy |
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Linked By Pink is a nonprofit organization providing assistance to younger breast cancer patients. Traditionally, Linked By Pink serves women who were diagnosed under the age of 45; however, that age limit is temporarily extended to women under 55. If you fit the age requirement and live within a 45-mile radius of Erie, you are welcome to apply for financial help through one of their grant programs. Want to apply?
Find out how Linked By Pink can help >> |
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