Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. At Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA), we are organizing a “Get Your Pink On” event on Oct. 26 to promote Breast Cancer Awareness.

Click Here for Grand Ave Campus Event
Click Here for Sydenham Campus Event

Chatham-Kent Health Alliance will be hosting an event where staff, volunteers, physicians and the public are invited to create a human ``pink ribbon`` in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month and CKHA`s Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP). An aerial photo will be taken and will be used to demonstrate our collective support for breast cancer prevention, diagnosis and most importantly, for survivors and their families.
Please come out, wear your pink and be part of the human pink ribbon photo in Chatham! We want to fill in that pink ribbon for the aerial shot - I look forward to seeing as many people as possible! Or join us in Wallaceburg at the Sydenham Campus for a pink-themed celebration. Both events offer refreshments and take-away material for participants.

About CKHA`s Ontario`s Breast Screening Program (OBSP)
OBSP is a comprehensive, organized breast cancer screening program. Its mission is to reduce mortality from breast cancer by delivering high-quality breast screening to Ontario women between the ages of 50 – 74. This program is operated by Cancer Care Ontario and funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. CKHA`s OBSP satellite site opened in 1997 and is one of 19 hospitals in Ontario to be chosen to pilot a High Risk Breast program.

Breast Cancer Facts
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer).
In 2011:

• An estimated 23,400 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,100 will die of it.


• An estimated 190 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 55 will die of it.


• On average, 64 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every day.


• On average, 14 Canadian women will die of breast cancer every day.

Probability of developing or dying from breast cancer
One in 9 women is expected to develop breast cancer during their lifetime and one in 29 will die of it.

Trends in breast cancer
Breast cancer incidence rose steadily from 1980 to the early 1990s, partly because of increased mammography screening. Breast cancer death rates have declined in every age group since at least the mid 1980s.

References: Canadian Cancer Society retrieved from http://www.cancer.ca

Help us raise awareness of the importance of early screening to detect and treat breast cancer and help us demonstrate Chatham-Kent’s support for breast cancer survivors and their families.