This week’s breast cancer awareness fundraisers were, by all accounts, a success.
Paint the Town Pink was a fundraiser to support breast cancer screenings and early detection programs in Beaufort County.
It was wonderful to see so many businesses and patrons supporting a worthy cause.
First Bank pulled out all the stops, painting landmark buildings on windows, parking a motorcycle and classic car in front of the branches and even climbing on rooftops to cover the First Bank logo with pink lettering.
Spa La La’s window encouraged women with breast cancer to “fight like a girl.”
La Bella Slices & Ices joined forces with pizzerias nationwide for “Slices of Hope.” The downtown eatery donated 15 percent of Friday’s sales to leading cancer research labs. They also raised money with a raffle, bake sale and handmade stuffed animals.
Breast cancer has touched the lives of everyone in some way. With each passing year and each penny earned to fight it, we have seen advances.
In 1975, about 75 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer were expected to survive the disease for at least five years, according to the National Cancer Institute. Today, the odds of surviving at least five years are 90 percent.
Breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) followed by local radiation therapy has replaced mastectomy as the preferred surgical approach for treating early-stage breast cancer.
Several breast cancer susceptibility genes have been identified, increasing the odds that women who have inherited the genes will detect the disease early.
We look forward to the day when we can report a cure has been found. Until then, we’ll continue to “fight like a girl.”