Tigerlily Foundation Holds 3rd Annual Young Womens Breast Health Day on Capitol Hill
On September 7, 2011, the Tigerlily Foundation held its 3rd Annual Young Women’s Breast Health Day (YWBHD) on Capitol Hill, highlighting the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) Act. The event also highlighted Tigerlily’s Peer Education Through Awareness Leadership (PETALs) Program, which, like the EARLY Act, focuses on educating the patient, provider and community about young women and breast health.
Reston, VA, September 19, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Introduced by Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the EARLY Act directs the Centers for Disease Control to develop and implement a national education campaign about the threat breast cancer poses to young women and the particular heightened risks of certain groups. The bill was passed as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March 2010.
Rep. Wasserman Schultz has put particular emphasis on minority breast cancer risks, especially for Jewish women who are more likely to have the breast cancer gene and African American women who are at a higher risk of developing triple negative breast cancer. “We need to give young women the tools to help them be empowered when it comes to their breast health, “Rep. Wasserman Schultz. Early on, Rep. Collins urged the National Institutes of Health to focus on health issues that concerns minorities, “Since little has been made of studies on minority prone diseases despite the significant disproportionate array of health conditions,” said Congresswoman Collins.
“The EARLY Act is a landmark piece of legislation that will save the lives of many young women in the years to come. As a key participant in drafting and supporting this legislation, and now a Member of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Advisory Committee on Young Women and Breast Cancer, I will work relentlessly to engage the community, partners, families, friends and women everywhere, to join our movement to create more self advocates, create awareness, and save lives,” said Ms. Karmo.
Speakers at the event included Dr. Isaac Eliaz, Medical Director of the Amitabha Clinic and Healing Center; Dr. Otis Brawley, MD, Chief Medical Officer for the American Cancer Society; Dr. Vanessa Sheppard, PhD, Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University; Dr. Anthony Felice, MD, Oncology and Hematology of Northern Virginia; Dr. Melissa Yates, MD, Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Dr. David Weintritt, MD, Surgical Specialists of Northern Virginia; Leah Basch, MSHS, PA-C, Surgical Specialists of Northern Virginia; and Roxanne Blackwell, Esq., Former Chief of Staff for Rep. Danny Davis. They also presented their first Ultimate EARLY Act Award to Retired Representative Cardiss Collins for her work as an early pioneer in breast cancer awareness and prevention. Serving in the U.S House of Representatives for 12 consecutive terms, Rep. Collins introduced the law designating October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and drafted legislation to help elderly and disabled women receive Medicare coverage for mammograms.
Tigerlily’s Young Women’s Breast Health Day on the Hill was attended by Members of Congress, including Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL), Representative Donna Christensen (VI), Representative Jerrold Nadler (NY), Representative Corrine Brown (FL), Representative Elijah Cummings (MD) and Representative John Dingell (MI). More than 40 Members of Congress served as Honorary Chairs of this event, including Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA), Representative Gerald E. Connolly (VA), Representative Frank R. Wolf (VA), Representative Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA), Representative Tom Petri (WI), Representative Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (MD), Representative Sue Myrick (NC), Representative Barbara Lee (CA), Representative James E. Clyburn (SC) and Representative Mike Honda (CA).
The Mistress of Ceremonies for the event was Kristen Berset, News Anchor, WUSA*9. Attendees heard from the patient and provider point of views, and learned of traditional and complementary approaches to treatment and improving young women’s quality of life during and after breast cancer. In 2012, Tigerlily will host its 4th Annual Young Women’s Breast Health Day on the Capitol Hill.
Tigerlily Foundation was founded in 2006 by young breast cancer survivor Maimah Karmo. Every year, thousands of young women are diagnosed with breast cancer. They face lifestyle, financial and emotional challenges and they need support. Tigerlily Foundation is solely focused on educating and supporting young women ages 15 to 40. Our efforts focus on educating young women through our Peer Education Through Awareness and Leadership Program (PETALS), providing peer support, buddy bags, sending meals to young women while undergoing treatment through our Meals at Home Program, providing financial assistance through Funds for Families, empowering young women through our Fearless Females Program, and providing support to young women living with Stage 4 breast cancer.
For more information about this annual event, email ywbhd@tigerlilyfoundation.org, call (888) 580-6253 or visit www.tigerlilyfoundation.org.
###
Rep. Wasserman Schultz has put particular emphasis on minority breast cancer risks, especially for Jewish women who are more likely to have the breast cancer gene and African American women who are at a higher risk of developing triple negative breast cancer. “We need to give young women the tools to help them be empowered when it comes to their breast health, “Rep. Wasserman Schultz. Early on, Rep. Collins urged the National Institutes of Health to focus on health issues that concerns minorities, “Since little has been made of studies on minority prone diseases despite the significant disproportionate array of health conditions,” said Congresswoman Collins.
“The EARLY Act is a landmark piece of legislation that will save the lives of many young women in the years to come. As a key participant in drafting and supporting this legislation, and now a Member of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Advisory Committee on Young Women and Breast Cancer, I will work relentlessly to engage the community, partners, families, friends and women everywhere, to join our movement to create more self advocates, create awareness, and save lives,” said Ms. Karmo.
Speakers at the event included Dr. Isaac Eliaz, Medical Director of the Amitabha Clinic and Healing Center; Dr. Otis Brawley, MD, Chief Medical Officer for the American Cancer Society; Dr. Vanessa Sheppard, PhD, Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University; Dr. Anthony Felice, MD, Oncology and Hematology of Northern Virginia; Dr. Melissa Yates, MD, Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Dr. David Weintritt, MD, Surgical Specialists of Northern Virginia; Leah Basch, MSHS, PA-C, Surgical Specialists of Northern Virginia; and Roxanne Blackwell, Esq., Former Chief of Staff for Rep. Danny Davis. They also presented their first Ultimate EARLY Act Award to Retired Representative Cardiss Collins for her work as an early pioneer in breast cancer awareness and prevention. Serving in the U.S House of Representatives for 12 consecutive terms, Rep. Collins introduced the law designating October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and drafted legislation to help elderly and disabled women receive Medicare coverage for mammograms.
Tigerlily’s Young Women’s Breast Health Day on the Hill was attended by Members of Congress, including Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL), Representative Donna Christensen (VI), Representative Jerrold Nadler (NY), Representative Corrine Brown (FL), Representative Elijah Cummings (MD) and Representative John Dingell (MI). More than 40 Members of Congress served as Honorary Chairs of this event, including Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA), Representative Gerald E. Connolly (VA), Representative Frank R. Wolf (VA), Representative Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA), Representative Tom Petri (WI), Representative Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (MD), Representative Sue Myrick (NC), Representative Barbara Lee (CA), Representative James E. Clyburn (SC) and Representative Mike Honda (CA).
The Mistress of Ceremonies for the event was Kristen Berset, News Anchor, WUSA*9. Attendees heard from the patient and provider point of views, and learned of traditional and complementary approaches to treatment and improving young women’s quality of life during and after breast cancer. In 2012, Tigerlily will host its 4th Annual Young Women’s Breast Health Day on the Capitol Hill.
Tigerlily Foundation was founded in 2006 by young breast cancer survivor Maimah Karmo. Every year, thousands of young women are diagnosed with breast cancer. They face lifestyle, financial and emotional challenges and they need support. Tigerlily Foundation is solely focused on educating and supporting young women ages 15 to 40. Our efforts focus on educating young women through our Peer Education Through Awareness and Leadership Program (PETALS), providing peer support, buddy bags, sending meals to young women while undergoing treatment through our Meals at Home Program, providing financial assistance through Funds for Families, empowering young women through our Fearless Females Program, and providing support to young women living with Stage 4 breast cancer.
For more information about this annual event, email ywbhd@tigerlilyfoundation.org, call (888) 580-6253 or visit www.tigerlilyfoundation.org.
###
Contact
Tigerlily Foundation
Maimah Karmo
888-580-6253
www.tigerlilyfoundation.org
Maimah Karmo
888-580-6253
www.tigerlilyfoundation.org
Contact
Categories