Cal State Long Beach celebrates Pink October with a series of events set to educate audiences on breast cancer and the services available to students on campus this week concerned with the disease.
“One out of eight women will get breast cancer,” said Heidi Burkey, health educator from the health resource center. “We want to raise awareness among students about early detection. This includes breast self-exams, clinical breast exams and mammograms.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, aside from certain types of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women.
The risk of breast cancer in women increases by age. According to the American Cancer Society, about two out of three invasive breast cancers are found in women over 55. Race and ethnicity can also be a factor.
According to an article from the ACS, “A recent study confirmed disparities in breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survival among American women from a wide-range of racial and ethnic backgrounds.” Although breast cancer in men is not very common, it is most common between the ages of 60 and 70.
CSULB has hosted Pink October for the past six years to raise awareness among students, help those with the disease and honor victims and survivors of breast cancer, according to Burkey.
Pink October’s first event will be held Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Maxson Plaza. There will be tables with information on breast cancer, early detection and self-breast examination. Peer educators from the Health Resource Center will be at the tables ready to answer any questions students might have.
Pink October continues with a Breast Cancer Prevention workshop Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m. in University Student Union room 204. The workshop will include a demonstration of how to perform a self-breast examination.
The workshop will be lead by Daynabelle Santos, Beautiful Day Foundation treasurer. The Beautiful Day Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating young women on breast cancer awareness. Santos completed her Baccalaureate Nursing Program at USC and has a background in oncology. She currently works as the patient coordinator in the emergency department at Memorial Hospital in Gardena.
The Health Resource Center offers clinical breast exams for students free of charge. The center also offers services such as Pap smears, information about birth control or sexual education workshops, which are also free to students.
Director of Women’s Resource Center Lynne Coenen said that providing students with information about breast cancer awareness would ultimately lead to better care.
The event is held in coordination with Beautiful Day Foundation, the Health Resource Center and the Women’s Resource Center at CSULB.