Around here, we may not be able to rely on the fall weather to come as early as we’d like, but there are other things we can count on this time of year. First, everything is offered in a “limited time” pumpkin spice flavor. Everything.
The second thing we can count on? We will see a lot more pink than usual. It will be worn by athletes and students, women and men. You see it on groceries and shop windows. You can find it in magazines and on websites. Why? October is breast cancer month, a time to spotlight a very important cause for a very big moment.
However, conversations about breast cancer should take place year-round. And never more so, as preventive health care is being dealt a devastating blow by the pandemic.
With more than 36,000 missed breast cancer screenings in 2020 due to COVID, Cancer Support Community North Texas (CSCNT), the leading nonprofit organization that provides free emotional and social support to cancer patients and their families, a live webinar led by a breast cancer nurse, titled “Everything Women Need to Know About Breast Cancer,” along with a virtual screening how-to on Thursday, October 21 at 12 noon p.m in hopes of stimulating more breast cancer research during Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October).
CSCNT’s Collin County Clubhouse will host Karen Bryant, RN, CN-BN of Texas Health Presby for this “live” discussion via Zoom (to FB Live) on the basics of breast cancer, including risk, screening, genetics, and risk reduction.
According to the studies – all of which reveal comparable data – breast, colon and cervix screenings were down 86-94% in March 2020 and were still 29-35% lower in June 2020 than pre-COVID levels. Recent research (October 2020) found that an estimated 22 million people had missed or canceled their cancer screening appointments due to concerns about COVID-19.
The program is offered for free, participants must register HERE to participate.
AN webinar titled “Everything Women Need to Know About Breast Cancer,” along with a virtual screening how-to on Thursday, October 21 at 12 noon p.m hoping to stimulate more breast cancer screenings during breast cancer month.
Who should be there? Cyndy Cervantes, program director for CSCNT, says anyone with breasts should make plans to attend this free workshop. She explains: “This discussion is intended to be educational, to raise awareness of the need for regular mammograms and reduce breast cancer risk. We will encourage women to hold themselves and each other accountable for their regular screenings.”
She adds that access to mammography should not be a problem. “After a certain age, mammograms are free for women with most insurance policies,” Cyndy says. “For those who don’t have insurance, there are many places to get them for free. We can help you find those resources.”
CSCNT has three clubhouse locations — in Dallas, Collin, and Tarrant counties — and offers a wide variety of emotional support and nutritional, exercise, and educational activities, both in-person and online.
For more information, people can visit www.cancersupporttexas.org or call each clubhouse directly:
Collin County Clubhouse – 972-981-7020Tarrant County Clubhouse – 682-212-5400Dallas County Clubhouse – 214-345-8230About North Texas Cancer Relief Community
Cancer Support Community North Texas (CSCNT) is a member of the National Cancer Support Community, the largest professionally run non-profit cancer support network worldwide, and is committed to ensuring that no one is faced with cancer alone.
Completely free, CSCNT is a place where people with cancer, as well as their families and friends, learn to live with cancer and thrive through education, psychological support, networking, children’s programs, workshops, and other cancer-focused resources.
For more information, visit CancerSupportTexas.org.
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