Think Pink in Howard County – National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

One in eight women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point in their lifetime.  This statistic from the national Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion is a startling one, but also one that inspires the need to raise awareness and change.  Breast Cancer Awareness Month spans the length of October, and throughout Howard County multiple opportunities to donate and educate will be available.

On Sunday, October 25, Historic Oakland (5430 Vantage Point Road) in Columbia will be hosting an afternoon tea catered by Sweet Simplici-Tea tea room and bakery. For a $29 fee, guests will enjoy a delicious selection of teas, scones, and other desserts while relaxing with friends and supporting a good cause. A portion of the proceeds will go toward supporting the Claudia Mayer / Tina Broccolino Cancer Resource Center at Howard County General Hospital.  For more information, or to purchase tickets to the event, click here. The Resource Center also provides a regular way for residents to donate to the community here.

If you’re looking for a special way to honor a family member, or raise awareness at home or in your local neighborhood, consider planting a cherry blossom tree! Blossoms of Hope is a unique organization whose creation was inspired by the annual Cherry Blossoms Festival in Washington, D.C.  Since its official establishment in 2004, with the planting of the Founder’s Grove in Centennial Park in Ellicott City, approximately 1,600 trees have been planted and $225,000 has been raised for the Claudia Mayer / Tina Broccolino Cancer Resource Center.  To purchase your own tree, or contribute to a sponsorship, click here. A map of the blossoms that have already been planted can also be found here.

National Mammogram Day falls on October 16 this year. Early detection is key to breast cancer survival.  When detected at a localized stage, the average five-year survival rate is 98 percent.  Howard County General Hospital offers an easy 15-minute screening service, while the county’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program (BCCP) helps low-income residents, or residents without qualifying health insurance, pay for yearly breast examinations, mammograms and Pap tests. You can click here for more information.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month provides the perfect opportunity to take a moment to think about yourself and your overall health, so reflect and schedule some preventative care! And if you have a charitable event that you would like to promote, let us know at: https://hermindmagazine.com/contact-us.