On Friday, Oct. 1, Dianne McKellar of Charleston dressed head to toe in pink to remind others that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States, and to celebrate her own milestone of nine years cancer-free.
McKellar, director of medical records at Tallahatchie General Hospital, proudly wore her special ensemble to work and around the city as a mark of her personal success in fighting the disease and to commemorate kickoff of the monthlong observance.
During encounters with others on Friday, she distributed miniature peel-and-stick pink ribbon appliques for them to wear on their clothing.
The pink ribbon is the universally recognized symbol of breast cancer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year in the United States, about 255,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women and 2,300 in men. About 42,000 women and 500 men in the U.S. die each year from breast cancer.
Early detection is said to be the key to successful treatment of the disease.
To learn more about breast cancer and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit the American Cancer Society website, the National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc. website, the Prevent Cancer Foundation website and/or the Susan G. Komen website.
