Actress and Breast Cancer Survivor Vanessa Bell Calloway is all about giving back and creating awareness this month for breast cancer and I for one am here for it! Recently Vanessa stepped up to moderate a Cancer Workshop panel hosted by California Oncology Research Institute. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, California Oncology Research Institute (CORI), in association with Global Wellness Project, recently hosted a community workshop titled Cancer: Prevention, Detection & Intervention.
The purpose of the workshop was to share information on the disease and to empower women to take charge of their own breast health. The event was held at First Church of God… Center of Hope in Inglewood, CA, was moderated by actress and cancer survivor Vanessa Bell Calloway and attended by community residents who received invaluable information from a panel of cancer experts that included urologist Dr. Dana Scott, gynecologist Dr. Allen Noel and CORI Directors Dr. Ronald Hurst and Dr. Anton Bilchik.
“This is very important,” said Calloway, who can currently be seen in Shameless on Showtime. “You have leaders of their field here. This is the time to ask your questions. Breast cancer is a very important subject to me. I am a four-year survivor.” Calloway, who recently disclosed her decision to remove one of her breasts, was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), considered one of the most common types of non-invasive breast cancers. That surgery was followed by reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Hurst, a breast cancer surgeon who treated Calloway, led a discussion on the latest advancements in breast cancer research and treatment options. The panel made presentations and discussed other cancers including prostate, colon and general oncology. “Cancer is a beast,” said Hurst. “It robs you in the night. It doesn’t know who you are. Doesn’t matter what status you have. It will come and try to control your life.” Hurst asked the crowd, “How do you prepare for something like that?”
“If it’s something like our house, you put an alarm on a house,” continued Hurst. “Those arm themselves with guns. With CORI, we reach out to you because we care. Not that we want anything in return. But we want the best for you. So how can we impart a change in your life? How can we shift the paradigm of how medicine impacts our lives? One thing is by dispelling fears. Two, we have to empower you with knowledge, giving you the tools by which to become powerful. That’s what we want to do with these outreach programs.”
Statistics show breast cancer is the most common cancer among African American and Hispanic/Latina women.
Breast cancer, a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast, is one of the most common cancers among women in the United States. According to reports, in 2013, an estimated 27,060 new cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among African American women. Each year it is estimated that more than 220,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among nearly every racial and ethnic group.
During the event, more than 30 women received free and subsidized mammograms provided by Mobil Mammography, Inc. and CORI, which pays for mammograms regardless of income or insurance status. The women were given manual breast exams by a nurse practitioner and taught how to do a monthly self-exam. About 10 percent of the women received results that required a medical referral.
“It’s a beautiful thing when you can be a cancer survivor,” said CORI Executive Director Angela de Joseph. “We want people to be cancer survivors.” The Global Wellness Project, a non-profit media company, is currently launching a syndicated TV show, “Black Health Watch.”
Callorway has also teamed up with BCG “Beauty for the Bold” presenting sponsor HairFinity alongside fellow breast cancer survivor Ebony Steele to encourage 50,000 women to take a life-saving pledge. The focus is on spreading the word about the importance of getting early detection for breast cancer while providing information and resources for low-to-no cost screenings and services available. The campaign is called the Hairfinity 50K Strong Breast Cancer Awareness Pledge, hosted on the Hairfinity Facebook page. Pledging is easy; simply like their page and sign the pledge with your name, email address and acknowledgement of the pledge. Be sure to take the pledge and stay tuned for more from the Global Wellness Project and HairFinty! #GivingIsGood
