Are you a Womankind whiz? Quiz your breast health knowledge to reduce risk, increase survival

Did you know that every three minutes a woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer? Fortunately, in the last 26 years, breast cancer mortality has declined by 39%, with early detection and healthy lifestyle choices playing a key factor. With October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Womankind wants to remind the community that they partner with Zonta to offer free screenings and mammograms, offset diagnostic test costs with the help of Susan G. Komen foundation funds, enroll eligible women over 50 into the Health Department’s Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, and have Breast Health Coordinator Ginny Barr on staff to give support to those who need it.

Womankind also joins the national awareness and fundraising campaign with their signature BraZaar fundraiser to take place on Monday, October 22 at Key West Theater from 7:00pm – 10:00pm. The event, a light-hearted take on this serious topic, includes a pre-auction welcome reception with sweet treats and libations and a Rack Sale open to event attendees and Fantasy Fest goers—all with a 1970s game-show motif, complete with a hilarious show host, unsuspecting participants, and spectacular and hilarious prizes. Every dollar raised is used to help make breast health care accessible to all.

You can show your support by learning the facts to raise awareness among your own friends and families. Start off with the quiz below to discover what you know (then click over to thekeywesttheater.com to get your BraZaar ticket!).

  1. Breast cancer is the most common and deadliest cancer for women in the U.S. True or False?

False. Along with skin cancer, breast cancer IS the most common, but it isn’t the deadliest. (Lung cancer is). That said, it takes over 40,000 lives in the U.S. each year. Getting screened regularly via mammograms, remembering your yearly doctor’s exam, and be aware of any changes in your breasts can help women detect the disease as early as possible, when it’s most treatable.

  1. You need to worry about breast cancer only if it runs in your family. True or False?

False. While having a family member with breast cancer can raise the chances of getting it by 20%, anyone with breast tissue can get the disease- even men (and cats and dogs!). That said, it’s 100 times more common among women, and those 55 and older. One in 8 women in the U.S. will get breast cancer in her lifetime. The good news? It’s treatable.

  1. There’s nothing you can do to lower your breast cancer risk. True or False?

False. Risk factors- like being born a woman or having a family history of the disease- aren’t things you can change, but there is one thing you can: your lifestyle choices. What do you eat? How often do you exercise? Smoke? Drink? Stress? Get regular check-ups and mammograms? There’s no fool-proof pass for cancer prevention, but taking charge of your health— maintaining a healthy weight, eating food rich in nutrients and grown without pesticides, exercising regularly, and limiting your booze and daily stress, can make a difference that matters.

Help Womankind continue to make healthcare accessible for all by attending the Womankind BraZaar presented by Last Key Realty. Tickets are $30 for general admission and $50 for preferred seating and can be purchased at thekeywesttheater.com. For more information about the event or sponsorship opportunities, contact Cricket Desmarais at [email protected] or call Womankind at 305-294-4004.

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IMAGE:

Womankind staff stops for a smile at last year’s Annual ABC Walk hosted by Zonta, a collaborating partner that supports Womankind in their mission of offering affordable healthcare for all by providing free mammogram vouchers to their uninsured and underinsured patients. Join them at their signature BraZaar fundraiser to take place on Monday, October 22 at Key West Theater from 7:00pm – 10:00pm to show your support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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