Fight Like a Girl: 5 Breast Cancer Organizations
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we’re shining a spotlight on some of the local organizations spreading knowledge of the disease and offering support, medical aid, counseling, and comfort for breast cancer patients and survivors.
Carrie’s Touch has a simple mission: to save more African American women and humanize them and their experiences with breast cancer. They do this through awareness and education—including teaching young girls how to do a proper breast self-exam, advocacy, community outreach, support groups, basic needs, and home visits.
Save Ourselves is a 30-year-old breast cancer organization that consists of a chain of breast cancer survivors who spread awareness through outreach and activities and promote proactive participation in decisions about patients’ treatment plans, while also providing emotional support. In addition, they provide survivorship services for those who’ve completed cancer treatment, have a 24-hour helpline, and conduct psychoeducational breast cancer support groups and monthly educational forums with guest speakers.
Albie Aware, named for Albie Carson who lost her battle to breast cancer in 2002, serves the Greater Sacramento area by bringing awareness, support, and resources to anyone battling breast cancer, while focusing on the person and not just the disease. They do this by providing information, paying for testing, advocacy throughout treatment, community awareness through free breast health classes, and fundraising to help others.
In 2021, an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S. as well as 49,290 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.
63% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage (there is no sign that the cancer has spread outside of the breast), for which the five-year survival rate is 99%.
Although rare, men get breast cancer too. In 2021, an estimated 2,650 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. It is estimated that in 2021, approximately 30% of all new women cancer diagnoses will be breast cancer.
There are over 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.
Source: National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.
Placer Breast Cancer Foundation
Placer Breast Cancer Foundation works to raise funds to fight breast cancer and promotes education and outreach throughout Placer and Sacramento counties. They do this through individual donations, sponsored events, community outreach, and private fundraisers. The foundation (previously endowment) was formed in 2005 by local residents and breast cancer survivors, Carol Garcia (former mayor of Roseville), and Teri Munger with a goal to raise $1.5 million to endow a breast cancer chair at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. After reaching that goal, they've continued the fight against breast cancer.
Throughout the month of October, the foundation is conducting a Paint Placer Pink campaign to raise awareness and promote education and local resources. This will be done through special events and fundraisers at restaurants, exercise classes, and more. paintplacerpink.org
Images of Hope El Dorado
Images of Hope El Dorado aims to promote cancer awareness and coordinate activities, events, and ongoing support for El Dorado County residents. The all-volunteer organization operates under the umbrella of the Marshall Foundation for Community Health and provides a connection between art therapy and support services to aid in the healing process for those impacted by cancer. Their classes include mindfulness, knitting, Pilates, painting, and more.
Look out for their Pink in the Night event this month, which will envelop wineries in Placerville, El Dorado, Diamond Springs, and neighboring areas in pink lights. There’s also an art installation at Placerville’s Bell Tower showcasing colors of all the cancer ribbons as a reminder to complete your cancer screenings, while the pink lights are a reminder to all women to get their mammograms. imagesofhopeeldorado.com
Carrie's Touch Members
Carrie’s Touch has a simple mission: to save more African American women and humanize them and their experiences with breast cancer. They do this through awareness and education—including teaching young girls how to do a proper breast self-exam, advocacy, community outreach, support groups, basic needs, and home visits.
A couple of special events planned for this month include Survivors’ Sunday on October 10 where breast cancer survivors are celebrated and women who’ve gone before us are honored in a day of worship at Sacramento’s Center of Praise Ministries (in-person or virtual). Their Celebration of Life event on October 16 will felicitate women (selected randomly) who’ve undergone treatment for breast cancer by delivering flowers to them. carriestouch.org
Save Ourselves Breast Cancer Organization
Save Ourselves is a 30-year-old breast cancer organization that consists of a chain of breast cancer survivors who spread awareness through outreach and activities and promote proactive participation in decisions about patients’ treatment plans, while also providing emotional support. In addition, they provide survivorship services for those who’ve completed cancer treatment, have a 24-hour helpline, and conduct psychoeducational breast cancer support groups and monthly educational forums with guest speakers.
Save Ourselves continues to provide support groups and meetings for various categories like under-45 early-stage breast cancer, those living with metastatic breast cancer, fighting cancer with faith, and more. save-ourselves.org
Albie Aware
Albie Aware, named for Albie Carson who lost her battle to breast cancer in 2002, serves the Greater Sacramento area by bringing awareness, support, and resources to anyone battling breast cancer, while focusing on the person and not just the disease. They do this by providing information, paying for testing, advocacy throughout treatment, community awareness through free breast health classes, and fundraising to help others.
Their biggest campaign right now is Paint Sacramento Pink, which partners with local businesses and reaches out to the community through pop-up booths, a mobile boutique, public speaking, and fundraising. They also operate the Pink Warrior bus that goes around spreading awareness and reminding patients that no one fights alone. Paint Sacramento Pink is kicking off a campaign at Folsom’s Palladio at Broadstone with music, food, and headliner guests on October 11 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. They’re also organizing a scarecrow contest and submissions will be on display all month, with the winners being announced on October 24 in a fun-filled event of trick-or-treating and costumes. albieaware.org; paintsacramentopink.org
DID YOU KNOW?
1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.In 2021, an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S. as well as 49,290 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.
63% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage (there is no sign that the cancer has spread outside of the breast), for which the five-year survival rate is 99%.
Although rare, men get breast cancer too. In 2021, an estimated 2,650 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. It is estimated that in 2021, approximately 30% of all new women cancer diagnoses will be breast cancer.
There are over 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.
Source: National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.
by Tara Mendanha
Photos courtesy of their respective companies or organizations. Placer Breast Cancer Foundatio photo by Shawn Habermehl Photography. Images of Hope photo by Bill Robinson. Carrie's Touch photo courtesy of Carrie's Touch. Photos courtesy of their respective companies or organizations.