4 minute read
How to Make an Impact with your Purchases
from Power of Pink 2021
by InsideNoVa
How to Make an Impact During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual opportunity to spend your dollars on products and services that benefit breast cancer advocacy, research and patient care services.
However, experts say the clutter of pink products on store shelves and online can make savvy shopping a challenge.
“Determining if a given product sold during October actually benefits a breast cancer charity is not always easy,” said Sarah Rosales, vice president of corporate partnerships at Susan G. Komen, the world’s leading breast cancer organization.
One way to ensure that your purchases are making the impact you think they will is by shopping with Komen’s Annual Live Pink program.
This year, Komen has partnered with more than 25 companies, and the lineup of products and services available includes everything from specially designed clothing and skin care products to bagels and bikes. By shopping with the brands in the Live Pink portfolio during October, you can help fund research and care services that support people through their breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and beyond. Program details are transparent on the Live Pink site.
For other purchases you make this National Breast Cancer Awareness Month that make charitable claims, Susan G. Komen recommends
MORE INFORMATION
» To learn more and to shop, visit komen.org/ livepink.
asking the following questions:
1. What charity is the program supporting?
Do promotional materials about the product or service clearly and conspicuously state this information?
2. How will the benefitting charity use the
donation? You should be made aware where your money is going and what charitable programs your purchase will support. Funds raised to benefit Komen, for example, go to support the organization’s advocacy for breast cancer patients, investments in research and a number of direct patient care services. 3. How is the program structured? What percentage or exact amount of the proceeds will go to the charity? Will the company be making a minimum or maximum donation to the charity? Shop only with companies that offer transparency with regards to program details and how donations are structured.
By shopping savvy this October, you can support the fight against breast cancer and ensure your purchases are making the biggest impact possible.
– StatePoint
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about raising breast cancer awareness and reminding women to get their mammograms, especially if they have put it off due to the pandemic or other reasons.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says mammograms are still the best way to detect breast cancer early when it is easier to treat. Early screening and early detection reduce death rates and dramatically increase survival.
According to the CDC: • Each year in the United States, about 42,000 women and 500 men die from this disease. • Annually, some 255,000 cases are diagnosed in women and 2,300 diagnosed in men • Black women die from breast cancer at a higher rate than white women
According to the American Cancer Society, there is a 99% five-year survival rate if diagnosed early, but the survival rate drops to 28% if the cancer has spread.
The Prince William Health District helps provide low-cost or free mammograms and cervical cancer screening services to women who qualify through the Every Woman’s Life program.
You may be eligible for this program if you meet these qualifications: • If you are a woman between 40 and 64 years old • You are symptomatic and a woman between 18 and 39 years old • You live primarily in the Prince William Health District • Your income is at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level • You have absolutely no insurance
For more information on the Every Woman’s Life program, call (703) 792-7301 or (703) 792-6301.
Mary Washington Healthcare Breast Care Program
The Breast Care Program at the Mary Washington Healthcare Regional Cancer Center ensures you receive a lifetime continuum of care. We provide everything, from routine exams for ongoing breast health to specialized services if diagnosed or considered at high risk for breast cancer.
From the moment you are diagnosed, you are a survivor. We take a multidisciplinary, highly personalized team approach toward determining the best management plan for you, focusing on cure whenever possible. Our Breast Cancer Nurse Navigators are ready to provide information, guidance, and support throughout your cancer journey.
Accreditation
Our facility is fully accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers through the American College of Surgeons.
NAPBC-accredited centers provide access to comprehensive care by a multidisciplinary team, information about ongoing clinical trials, and new treatment options.
Meet Our Breast Care Team
Medical Director Kay Blanchard, MD, PhD, FACS Jeffrey J. Pelton, MD, FACS Roni Talukdar, MD Rachel Coggins, DO
Tiffany G. Simons, RN, MS, C-ANP Natalie Gergler, PA-C
Ashley Sisson, RN Cancer Nurse Navigator
Learn more about us at BreastCare.mwhc.com.
