LOS ANGELES, July 28, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Komen
California proclaims August
1st as "Circle of Promise Day" to commemorate the
birthday of Henrietta Lacks, an
African-American woman whose "HeLa" cancer cells have led to
countless cancer treatment discoveries and cures for other life
threatening diseases. The day will also provide a framework of
inclusion and information sharing amongst African-American women to
remind them of their risk for breast cancer and need to take
preventative actions.
Henrietta Lacks' contributions to
the field of medical science have led to improvements in health
care and treatments for millions of people around the world.
"Yet, African-American women in the
United States continue to die of diseases like breast
cancer, at rates significantly higher than their white
counterparts…This is unacceptable," says Dr. Judy Salerno, CEO of Susan G. Komen®. So in working
with the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) to author the
Circle of Promise Day Initiative, Susan G.
Komen "will honor Mrs. Lacks' memory, by redoubling its
commitment to end these differences in outcomes for
African-American women," says Dr.Salerno.
"The California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) is also pleased
to stand with Susan G. Komen and its
Affiliates to commemorate August 1st
as 'Circle of Promise Day' on Henrietta
Lacks' birthday, an African-American woman, who lost her
life to cervical cancer but whose contributions to science have
gone on to save the lives of millions," said Assembly Member
Reginald Jones-Sawyer, Chair of the CLBC. "There is no other day
more appropriate for African-American women to take the 'promise
pledge' as a commitment to improving their breast health and the
health of those in their circle," says Mr. Jones-Sawyer.
Circle of Promise Day
To commemorate Circle of Promise Day, on August 1st 2015, Komen California
Affiliates from San Diego to
San Francisco will hold unique
events around the state, where event attendees will take a "promise
pledge" at 12pm, to actively
encourage at least 10 women in their "circle" to get screened and
be more proactive about their breast health. In effect forming a
"circle of promise" between African-American women throughout the
state of California, to take
preventative measures against breast cancer.
Circle of Promise Day aims to help: 1) develop a higher level of
breast health self-awareness and literacy among African-American
women; 2) change the mindset among African-American women from that
of fear, avoidance, and denial, to one of empowerment; and 3) drive
the behavior change needed to enable African-American women to
become their own breast health advocates.
The goal of the Circle of Promise Day is to encourage
African-American women across the state to get regular screenings,
commit to annual mammograms, and foster a community of information
sharing and engagement amongst the women in their "circle" that
they love, honor, and care about, says Rhonda M. Smith, Project Manager for Circle of
Promise California Initiative. In addition, Circle of Promise Day
is intended to help increase awareness of the initiative and the
importance of early detection, says Smith.
Please contact the Susan G. Komen Affiliate in your area for
local details on Circle of Promise Day events.
For more information, please visit
www.CaliforniaCircleofPromise.org
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About Susan G.
Komen:
Every year, the seven California Affiliates of
Susan G. Komen fund vital breast
health services for women and men across the state. This year the
Affiliates will invest more than $5.5
million in 110 grants in communities across the State.
Seventy-five percent of every dollar raised by Komen in
California funds local breast
health outreach, education, diagnostic and treatment services for
uninsured and underserved women. The remaining 25 percent goes to
the Komen Research and Training Grants Program, the largest funder
of breast cancer research in the world, after the U.S.
government.
About Circle of Promise
Circle of Promise is a
statewide initiative to address breast cancer disparities between
African-American women, 40 and above, at the system, community, and
individual levels; who are rarely or never screened, low-income,
uninsured or recipients of Medi-Cal. The goal of the initiative is
to empower African-American women with the knowledge and resources
to enter and seamlessly move through a quality, culturally
competent and coordinated system of breast health care. Launched by
the seven California affiliates of
Susan G. Komen, the initiative is
funded in part by a grant from Anthem Blue Cross Foundation, L.L.C.
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SOURCE Susan G. Komen California