In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Providence St. Mary Medical Center raised a pink ribbon flag on Friday, Oct. 4, which will fly for the remainder of the month.
Outside the hospital’s main building at 401 West Poplar St., a group of about 40 community members, including breast cancer survivors gathered to watch the flag being raised. “We are here to remember those we have lost, to uplift the spirits of those who are fighting, to celebrate the bravery of survivors, and to pledge our unwavering support to finding a cure,” said Natasha Delano, director of the hospital and oncology for Providence Southeast Washington.
According to a hospital news release, one in eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and there are currently more than four million breast cancer survivors in the United States. Breast cancer survivor Marla Fitzsimmons spoke at the flag raising about her journey which started five years ago when her cancer was detected. She was treated partly in Seattle and partly at Providence St.
Mary. “I feel like our community is very lucky to have what we have here,” Fitzsimmons said. “We couldn’t ask for better people or better services.
” Providence Southeast Washington spokesperson Emily Volland said everyone can do their part to reduce the number of lives lost to breast cancer. The hospital treats about 100 people with breast cancer each year, and the Providence St. Mary Foundation offers free mammograms and ultrasounds.