By Myra Bean

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the citizens of Panola County are doing their part.

Saturday, Oct. 19, three walks are scheduled in honor and in memory of those who face the dreaded disease.

A new walk this year is sponsored by the Upsilon Tau Zeta sorority. The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program and walk will start at 1 p.m. at the Sardis Library.

The program will provide information on what is current in the fight against breast cancer.

A second program will center on a special needs awareness program.

Kabeshia Hines, a special education and inclusion teacher with the North Panola School District, said this is something people need to be made aware. Assisting Hines are Denise Leland and Rotisha Pinson.

“What strikes the special needs awareness program is we have two sorors in our chapter who have special needs children. There are a lot of little things people don’t think about or are aware of. I also am the daughter of a blind man, a handicapped man. It is near and dear,” Hines said.

The programs will center on research gathered on breast cancer and personal experience testimonies from those who have special needs people in their lives.

After the programs, the walk will take place in the back library parking lot.

North Panola Walk

North Panola High School will sponsor its Annual 5K Breast Cancer Walk Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Sardis Library.

Rubie’s and Rose’s

Also on Saturday, Lue Bertia Ware will host  her 13th annual Rubie’s & Rose’s Cancer Walk beginning at 9 a.m. on the Pope Walking Trail behind the school. Those ladies were her mother and sister who lost the battle to cancer.

Aaron E. Henry

Aaron E. Henry Community Health Center will sponsor its annual breast cancer awareness event – Let’s Tackle Breast Cancer – from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26. Free blood pressure screening, diabetes testing and mammogram information will be available. There will be music, face painting, food, door prizes and a balloon release. Various vendors and healthcare providers will be available to answer questions.

Statistics

For women, the three most common cancers are breast, lung, and colorectal. Together, they account for one-half of all cases, with breast cancer alone accounting for 30 percent of new cases, latest figures show.

Breast cancer death rates declined 40 percent from 1989 to 2016 among women. The progress is attributed to improvements in early detection.