Hadassah’s bra project spurs breast cancer awareness

Hadassah grandmothers, mothers and daughters display decorated bras
Hadassah grandmothers, mothers and daughters display decorated bras

SAN DIEGO (Press Release)–Hadassah and Girls Give Back teamed up Sunday, Oct. 12,  in a multi-generational event to decorate bras and raise awareness for breast cancer and to empower women to take charge of their health.

Teens, their moms and grandmothers gathered together in the Sukkah at Beth Am Synagogue, and were addressed by Dr. James Sinclair, an oncologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, and medical director of the Scripps Cancer Center (SCC). “While we can’t avoid genetics and other causes of breast cancer, there are three things you can do,” Dr. Sinclair told the audience, “Eat a healthy diet, participate in habitual physical activity, and find ways to reduce stress.”

Next, breast cancer survivor, and Hadassah Life Member, Lisa Perlmutter, described her very personal, lengthy and courageous fight to rid herself from breast cancer, with support from friends and family. One of the goals for the program was to help teens feel comfortable when discussing the subject of breast cancer, almost all of whom know at least one person who has been affected in some way by breast cancer.

In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere teens and adults sat together and got to know one another while creating fun and colorful masterpieces. They also created cards to be given to the Komen Foundation to pass along to survivors and women fighting breast cancer. A Hadassah Team will participate in the Race For The Cure on Sunday, November 2nd, proudly sporting their bras. To join the Hadassah team go to www.sdkomen.org. Bras will be donated to the Komen Foundation.

Breast cancer is a disease that touches so many of us in our community, which is why it is critical to do more to spark a dialogue. Hadassah has long been at the forefront of the battle against breast cancer. In 1995, Hadassah Medical Organization proudly joined with researchers at the National Institutes of Health to publish the groundbreaking dominant genetic research on BRCA1 mutations in the Ashkenazi, or Eastern European, Jewish community. Hadassah discovered a 10 percent greater frequency of the BRCA mutation among Ashkenazi Jewish women.

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Preceding provided by Hadassah