On Tuesday, October 3rd, Alcorn State University (ASU) held its 23rd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Event from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Davey L. Whitney Complex, which was hosted by the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
Healthcare officials, community leaders, and students presented booths around the lobby which gave out free goodies and information packets about Breast Cancer Awareness and prevention. Free back massages, glucose screenings, and blood pressure checks were also offered. Food and refreshments were served.
George Dixon, Project Director for the Mississippi SHINE Project, a community-based health networking organization that promotes wellness in 21 under-served communities in the state of Mississippi, stated, “We are making sure women are getting their mammograms and doing their self-breast exams throughout the year. We are encouraging health screenings to check for Breast Cancer and any other kind of Cancer.”
Attendees were able to learn about the effects of smoking, how to properly care for asthma patients, monitoring blood pressure, how to eat healthy, and getting regular breast exams.
“African American women are affected by Breast Cancer 3 times more than anyone else and are more prone to death. We are often misdiagnosed, so I want to use this opportunity to spread awareness about the importance of keeping yourself checked. In your 20’s, get checked every 3 years, and when you get older get checked every 2 years,” says Manola Irby, a Youth Specialist with the ASU Extension Program.
