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CORTLANDT, N.Y. - More than 40 people attended Hudson Valley Hospital Center's "Jazz Up Your Foundation," breast-health fair and bra-decorating contest. Entries ranged from the bead studded "Mardi Bra" to a riff on pop culture, "Lady Bra Bra."
The breast-health fair was held Thursday evening in conjunction with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and hosted a number of different information booths.
"Prevention is big, we have to modify a lifestyle," said Dr. Chika Madu, medical director of Radiation Oncology at the hospital's Cheryl R. Lindenbaum Cancer Center, about promoting healthy eating and exercise, in conjunction with regular breast-health screenings to promote early detection. "A lot of people are aware, but there are still people who are not aware," said Madu.
Excluding cancer of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and accounts for one in three diagnoses, according to the American Cancer Society.
"It's a tough road to go through and so this is also a celebration of survival," said Madu.
Jaclyn Towler, 16, attended the fair with her mother and aunt, to support her aunt's fight against breast cancer. "It's good to learn at a young age," Towler said.
Although Madu reiterated that prevention and monitoring are important, she also said patients often have very individual and different experiences. "One person's cancer can be treated very differently than another person's cancer," she said.
"If you feel a lump, or if it's time for a mammogram, get it done," Madu said.
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