In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Lanham’s Luminis Health Community Medical Center hosted the Pink Ribbon Rally on Oct. 5, offering free mammograms and breast screenings, and entertaining attendees with live music, food, and games from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Prince George’s County has one of the highest mortality rates of breast cancer in Maryland. Luminis Health is currently in the third year of a $1.3 million state grant to provide breast cancer screenings to women in Prince George’s County. This funding has allowed Luminis Health to administer more than 2,300 no-cost breast cancer screenings, significantly advancing efforts to detect and combat breast cancer in the community.
“I am thrilled with the turnout of this year’s Pink Ribbon Rally,” said Deneen Richmond, president of Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center. “Since breast cancer is a leading cause of death among women in Prince George’s County, reaching more residents hopefully means we can save more lives as we fulfill Luminis Health’s mission of enhancing the health of the people and communities we serve.”
The event offered education about breast cancers, such as some of the warning signs, including lumps in the breast, chest or armpit, changes in the skin such as redness or dimpling, and changes in nipples, such as flattening or inversion.
Dr. Regina Hampton, a breast cancer surgeon at Luminis Health, emphasized the importance of the Pink Ribbon Rally bringing mammograms to the masses.
“This event empowers women to get a mammogram because it saves lives,” said Hampton.
“With one in eight women in the United States facing a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, and breast cancer being a leading cause of death among women in Prince George’s County, I encourage every woman to start getting mammograms at age of 40, or earlier if they have a family history.”
To lower the risk of breast cancer, women are encouraged to: maintain a healthy weight; keep a balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables; exercise regularly and limit alcohol consumption.
The Washington Informer previously covered Luminis Health’s efforts to combat breast cancer; read more here.