Tigerlily Foundation to Host Congressional Event to Support Awareness of Young Women and Breast Cancer
Keynote Speaker Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz Will Speak on Young Women’s Breast Health and Empowerment and the EARLY Act.
Washington, DC, August 15, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The Tigerlily Foundation will host a congressional reception Sept. 9 on Capitol Hill to focus on the EARLY Act and empowering young women to take control of their breast health. Keynote speaker will be Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D.-Fla.), sponsor of the EARLY Act (H.R. 1740 and S. 994).
Tigerlily’s inaugural Congressional event will also feature several other speakers, with the emphasis on educating young women to become engaged with issues that affect their health and communities, especially breast cancer education and advocacy.
The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Room B-338 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The event is free but attendees must pre-register to reserve space at www.tigerlilyfoundation.org/events.html.
Attendees will hear from members of the House and Senate who support young women’s breast health issues. Among other invited speakers is Gail Lebovic, M.D., president of the American Society of Breast Disease, and an EARLY Act supporter, as well as members of the Tigerlily Foundation Medical Advisory Board.
Rep. Wasserman Schultz, herself a breast cancer survivor, recently introduced the Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act (EARLY) Act. It has more than 360 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and more than 20 in the Senate.
The legislation directs the Centers for Disease Control to implement a national education campaign about the threat that breast cancer poses to young women of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and about the heightened risks of certain groups. The campaign will help educate young women and better enable healthcare professionals to identify the specific threats and warning signs of breast cancer, which will lead to early diagnoses and save lives.
The bill, sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D.-Minn.), calls for $9 million a year from 2010 to 2014. It will also provide grants to organizations that support young women diagnosed with breast cancer, to receive the assistance they need -- including social and psychological support, fertility preservation counseling, and recurrence prevention training.
“I found my breast cancer early because of knowledge and awareness,” said Wasserman Schultz. “I knew that I should perform breast self-exams, and I was aware of what my body was supposed to feel like. We need to ensure that every young woman in America can rely on more than luck because their survival depends on it.”
Said Maimah Karmo, a breast cancer survivor, young mother, and founder of the Tigerlily Foundation: “This event is about engaging young women on how they can make a difference in the world. We want to help young women see the importance of becoming their own best advocates in every aspect of their lives, and to be a part of the change they seek in the world.”
The event is a call to action for young women to be part of the solution to breast cancer. Karmo will speak on the Tigerlily Foundation and its focus on educating, advocating for, empowering and supporting young women affected by breast cancer.
The EARLY Act has generated widespread support both in Congress and from national organizations, including the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Breast Cancer Network of Strength (formerly Y-Me).
Among the sponsors of the Sept. 9 event are The Gannett Foundation, and NeoMatrix, makers of the HALO ™ Breast Pap Test, which helps determine younger women's individual risk of developing breast cancer.
About the Tigerlily Foundation
Tigerlily Foundation’s mission is to educate, advocate for, empower and provide hands-on support to young women affected by breast cancer. Most of its funds go directly toward women in treatment who need help with bills. The foundation also provides meals and buddy support for women, and offers beauty and pampering services to women in treatment.
According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the leading cause of death in American women ages 15-54. More than 250,000 women age 40 and under in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lives, and more than 11,000 women will be diagnosed next year. Younger women often have more aggressive breast cancers and higher mortality rates.
About Maimah Karmo
Author and activist Maimah Karmo is a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed at 32, when her daughter was only 3 years old. Determined to provide resources to other young women, Karmo harnessed her strength, and made a promise to herself that if she lived, she’d do everything she could to help other young women with breast cancer. She founded the Tigerlily Foundation in 2006, and gave the name of a beautiful flower that represents beauty, strength and transformation. She recently appeared on the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” sharing her story and encouraging young women to be their own best advocates when it comes to their health.
For more information, visit www.tigerlilyfoundation.org. To register or sponsor this event, visit Tigerlily Foundation’s event page. Due to space constraints, pre-registration is suggested.
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Tigerlily’s inaugural Congressional event will also feature several other speakers, with the emphasis on educating young women to become engaged with issues that affect their health and communities, especially breast cancer education and advocacy.
The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Room B-338 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The event is free but attendees must pre-register to reserve space at www.tigerlilyfoundation.org/events.html.
Attendees will hear from members of the House and Senate who support young women’s breast health issues. Among other invited speakers is Gail Lebovic, M.D., president of the American Society of Breast Disease, and an EARLY Act supporter, as well as members of the Tigerlily Foundation Medical Advisory Board.
Rep. Wasserman Schultz, herself a breast cancer survivor, recently introduced the Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act (EARLY) Act. It has more than 360 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and more than 20 in the Senate.
The legislation directs the Centers for Disease Control to implement a national education campaign about the threat that breast cancer poses to young women of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and about the heightened risks of certain groups. The campaign will help educate young women and better enable healthcare professionals to identify the specific threats and warning signs of breast cancer, which will lead to early diagnoses and save lives.
The bill, sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D.-Minn.), calls for $9 million a year from 2010 to 2014. It will also provide grants to organizations that support young women diagnosed with breast cancer, to receive the assistance they need -- including social and psychological support, fertility preservation counseling, and recurrence prevention training.
“I found my breast cancer early because of knowledge and awareness,” said Wasserman Schultz. “I knew that I should perform breast self-exams, and I was aware of what my body was supposed to feel like. We need to ensure that every young woman in America can rely on more than luck because their survival depends on it.”
Said Maimah Karmo, a breast cancer survivor, young mother, and founder of the Tigerlily Foundation: “This event is about engaging young women on how they can make a difference in the world. We want to help young women see the importance of becoming their own best advocates in every aspect of their lives, and to be a part of the change they seek in the world.”
The event is a call to action for young women to be part of the solution to breast cancer. Karmo will speak on the Tigerlily Foundation and its focus on educating, advocating for, empowering and supporting young women affected by breast cancer.
The EARLY Act has generated widespread support both in Congress and from national organizations, including the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Breast Cancer Network of Strength (formerly Y-Me).
Among the sponsors of the Sept. 9 event are The Gannett Foundation, and NeoMatrix, makers of the HALO ™ Breast Pap Test, which helps determine younger women's individual risk of developing breast cancer.
About the Tigerlily Foundation
Tigerlily Foundation’s mission is to educate, advocate for, empower and provide hands-on support to young women affected by breast cancer. Most of its funds go directly toward women in treatment who need help with bills. The foundation also provides meals and buddy support for women, and offers beauty and pampering services to women in treatment.
According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the leading cause of death in American women ages 15-54. More than 250,000 women age 40 and under in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lives, and more than 11,000 women will be diagnosed next year. Younger women often have more aggressive breast cancers and higher mortality rates.
About Maimah Karmo
Author and activist Maimah Karmo is a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed at 32, when her daughter was only 3 years old. Determined to provide resources to other young women, Karmo harnessed her strength, and made a promise to herself that if she lived, she’d do everything she could to help other young women with breast cancer. She founded the Tigerlily Foundation in 2006, and gave the name of a beautiful flower that represents beauty, strength and transformation. She recently appeared on the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” sharing her story and encouraging young women to be their own best advocates when it comes to their health.
For more information, visit www.tigerlilyfoundation.org. To register or sponsor this event, visit Tigerlily Foundation’s event page. Due to space constraints, pre-registration is suggested.
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Contact
Tigerlily Foundation
Maimah Karmo
888-580-6253
www.tigerlilyfoundation.org
Maimah Karmo
888-580-6253
www.tigerlilyfoundation.org
Contact
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