October was breast cancer awareness month and the Sharon (Portland, Ore.) Church Women’s Ministries celebrated by joining the Susan G. Komen Puget Sound Affiliate and various churches around the Northwest to Worship in Pink. The event took place on Sabbath, Oct. 30 under the leadership of Chantay Reid, Women’s Ministry director. Oregon is consistently rated as one of the top five states in the U.S. for incidence rate of breast cancer. Worship In Pink was created by the Komen foundation in hopes to “Help spread the word and help women overcome barriers to breast health resources and mammography screening by promoting the importance of early detection, encouraging faith based organizations to talk about the importance of breast cancer screening and gathering together this fall to engage the media and the broader community about our concern and commitment to end breast cancer forever.”
Sharon Church partnered with Myriad Genetic Laboratories to make this day possible. All members including the men were encouraged to wear pink clothing to celebrate the awareness day. In addition, women wore pink lapel awareness pins and the men wore “Real Men Wear Pink” muscle arm pins. The women’s ministries team honored five breast cancer survivors from the church and the community with wrist corsages, framed survivor certificates and other small gifts.
After service, there was a catered luncheon and presentation by Judith Richmond, MD Surgeon at the Oregon Breast Care Center in Beaverton, Ore. She discussed hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and the risk factors associated with developing those cancers genetically or even developing second cancers. Dr. Richmond discussed BRACAnalysis®, a simple blood or saliva test to find out if you have a mutation that may increase cancer risk. She also encouraged Ladies to begin self -breast exams by the age of 18 and to begin yearly mammograms by the age of 40. For everyone, she encouraged maintaining a healthy weight, and adding exercise into weekly routines.
Breast Cancer Survivors L-R: Denise Barfield, Tabitha Chinn, Zula Craig / Women's Ministry Leader Chantay Reid. (Photographer Elwood Reid, Contact Email Taye19@me.com)
Breast Cancer Awareness Cupcake Display. (Photographer Elwood Reid, Contact Email Taye19@me.com)
Dr. Judith Richmond, Presenter at Worship In Pink Luncheon. (Photographer Elwood Reid, Contact Email Taye19@me.com)
Sharon Church Foyer Display Case. (Photographer Elwood Reid, Contact Email Taye19@me.com)
