October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and we have made so much progress in breast cancer early detection and treatment, but there are still so many women who are at risk.

I want to make sure that you are aware of efforts to provide screenings and treatment for women who may not be able to access these screenings without our help.

In Ohio we advocate for funds to be available through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) and looking back over five years in Ohio alone the program has detected more than 1,200 Breast and Cervical cancers and precancerous lesions. This is just one way that ACS CAN is fighting back to protect Ohioans at risk!

If you are unfamiliar with ACS CAN here are a few of the things they do:

• Leads a national grassroots movement of cancer survivors and their families to support policies that help fight cancer.

• Works with lawmakers from all political parties at all levels of government to make cancer a national priority.

• Joins with diverse stakeholder groups in public campaigns supporting our advocacy priorities.

• Educates the public, lawmakers, candidates, and the media about cancer issues.

We ask you to join ACS CAN as a member. Annual membership is only $10. But, if you join at a premium level of $20, you will receive a new charm key chain.

We hope this premium item will help remind you how important your voice is. We want to help you make your voice heard– loud and clear. Make sure the BCCP program is funded again this year and that women are able to fight back.

Please go to www.acscan.org to become a member in your community and make your voice heard.

 

LaChona Ferguson is a specialist with Relay For Life, East Central Division of the American Cancer Society. She can be reached at 740-708-5186 or LaChona.Ferguson@cancer.org.