Bras & Bagels for Breast Cancer Awareness
The 2nd Annual Bras & Bagels for Breast Cancer Awareness event was in full swing on Saturday at the Carson’s department store, 9700 S. Western Ave. The affair, presented by The Eta XI Sigma Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in partnership with the National Council Negro Women (NCNW) Chicago Central Section, provided attendees with invaluable information about breast cancer prevention and survival.
Bras and Bagels is the brain child of Lisa Cooper, President of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Eta XI Sigma Alumnae Chapter. Sigma Gamma Rho Sigma Sorority, Inc. is a non-profit service and social organization.
“I had an idea about working with women and having an educational program about breast cancer and in addition I wanted to include a retailer because we go shopping a lot as women and so if you want catch women where they are to get them the message then this is a good place to get it done,” said Cooper. “We wanted to include the NCNW so we could bring in more women to get the message as well as show that women can work together and do successful projects and programs for their community.”
The National Council Negro Women is a women’s organization founded in 1935 by Mary McLeod Bethune with a vision to bring 28 national women’s organizations together to advocate for women of African descent.
“Health and wellness is one of the largest initiatives that NCNW puts forth in the community so breast cancer is just a small portion of that so we look to involve ourselves in numerous breast cancer awareness events throughout the month,” said Karen Dilligard, President of NCNW, Chicago Central Section.
Held on the bottom level of the Carson’s, Bras & Bagels hosted many sessions including a presentations by breast cancer survivor Roylette Lucky and Kathy Tossas-Milligan of the American Cancer Society, a “How to Wear It” fashion show which provided instruction on how to buy a proper fitting bra, raffle prizes and more.
“Mammograms are recommended to women 40-years-of-age or older every year, it’s part of your routine care. [Mammograms] are x-ray of your breast and a trained provider can look at it to detect early breast cancer. It’s highly effective; it’s considered the gold standard of care for detection of breast cancer,” said Tossas-Milligan during her discussion.
Tossas-Milligan who is a member of on the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force also had a message for men.
“A screening mammogram should be covered 100% for women over forty every year; so, whether you are insured under private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare that should be covered at 100%. A lot of men don’t realize that they, too, are at risk for breast cancer so it’s important to know your family’s history.”
Tossas-Milligan added that there are three recommended ways to detect a change in your breast: breast self-awareness, where an individual feels their breasts and note changes; clinical breast exam, by a trained provider who can feel changes in your breasts and detect a lump; or, a mammogram. For women who have denser breasts, ultrasounds are an option as well.
“Women of color, African American women in particular, although they are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, meaning they have a lower incidents compared to their white counterparts, [but] they are at a greater likelihood of dying, higher mortality. That has to do with - in part with chronological changes around the aggressiveness of the cancer – but it really has to do with access of care or access to diagnosing on time or early. We have to do a better job as a community to bring our women in to increase the access to equitable and high quality access to women of color so we can change and close this disparity,” said Tossas-Milligan.
Roylette Luckey, 17-year breast cancer survivor, attended the event and told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper, “This is my first time here and I think it’s a great thing that they’re doing for breast cancer awareness month.”
The Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force (MCBC) and American Cancer Society have outreach programs for those who are seeking diagnosis, post diagnosis, for breast cancer survivors and survivor families.
On Thursday, October 31, the MCBC will host A Metro-Wife Mammogram Screening Initiative at Trinity United Church of Christ, 400 W. 95th St, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. where an estimated 1,000 free mammograms will be provided to uninsured women.
For more information about American Cancer Society visit http://www.cancer.org/. For more information about the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force visit http://www.chicagobreastcancer.org/. For more information about the A Metro-Wife Mammogram Screening Initiative, including transportation for large groups, call (312) 942-3368.
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