[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=35581.87

Breast cancer walk is Saturday

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Breast cancer has stolen too many good women from this community, says Donna Cawley, co-chair of the Minority Health Coalition of La Porte County's walk to raise funds for breast health screenings and mammograms as well as cancer research.

Off the top of her head, Cawley remembers Fran Oberlie, an elementary school teacher, environmentalist and wife of Mayor Chuck Oberlie, who died March 2, 2005; Evonne Stephens-Norvell, director of the Michigan City Housing Authority, who died April 2, 2006; State Sen. Anita Bowser, a Democrat who was known as the "conscience of the Senate in Indianapolis, and died March 4; and Rebecca Williams, founder of Helping Our People Excel, who died on July 21.

Cawley said she knows there are many more.

Since 2003, she said 50 La Porte County women have died of breast cancer, among them wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, friends, co-workers and neighbors.

While white women are more likely to get breast cancer, black women are more likely to die from it, Cawley noted. "That's because black women have less access to education and screening," she said.

At Saturday's walk, nurses will be on duty at Washington Park to provide clinical exams and teach women how to do self-examinations. "We'll have a DVD on self examinations, too," Cawley said.

She invites those who cannot walk to sponsor walkers or to send a donation.

Walkers will be treated to a light lunch, Cawley said. "And we will have a special tribute to allow walkers to dedicate their participation to a particular woman."

The 5-K walk will cross the Franklin Street bridge and meander through a couple of neighborhoods, passing right City Hall on its way back.

"At a leisurely pace, it should take about an hour and 15 minutes," Cawley said.

The walk sponsors have adopted the acronym AC.cess, built from the words Access to Care, Education and Support for Sisters.

"We hope to bring support and awareness to the community about the devastating impact breast cancers and other female cancers have had on our community," she said.

In Indiana alone, more than 500 women each year are diagnosed with breast cancer.

The walk will be held Saturday in Washington Park. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. and the walk begins at the city's Parks & Recreation Department office at 8:30 a.m.

Contact Deborah Sederberg at dsederberg@thenewsdispatch.com.

If you go ...
WHO: The Minority Health Coalition of La Porte County and associate sponsors Blue Chip Casino Hotel, National City Bank and Michigan City Black Expo

WHAT: 5-K walk to raise money for mammograms and screenings for women who cannot afford them.

WHEN: Registration begins at &:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. The walk steps off at 8:30 a.m.

WHERE: Washington Park. Registration will be near the Parks and Recreation office.

WHY: Early detection is key to surviving breast cancer.

HOW: Register on Saturday morning. To make a contribution, make a check payable to MHCLC/Access Walk and mail it to P.O. Box 2078, Michigan City, IN 46361 or drop it off at the event. For information or to sponsor a walker, call 879-1712 or 872-2370.

[Roger Kaputnik]

Good cause. Also, don't forget JDRF, please.