Throughout the month of October (and even before), Hadassah supporters around the country did their part to make an impact for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Through walks, cocktail parties, games, informational — and emotional — programs and more, they came together, most of them in pink, to build on Hadassah’s year-round efforts to educate, advocate and support groundbreaking research at Hadassah’s hospitals in Israel to help fight breast cancer.
Creating buzz and stirring up inspiration ahead of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, about 100 women from Hadassah Southern California’s K'helah Shel Nashim Chapter got into the competitive spirit on September 17 with “Pink Ribbon Bingo” and raised $2,500 for Hadassah. “Getting 100 women together to support a cause they are passionate about and the opportunities to connect with their peers make this event a success year after year,” said Fran Medin and Mickey Whitten, vice presidents of fundraising for the K'helah Shel Nashim Chapter. The event, which took place in Thousand Oaks, was the chapter’s fifth annual breast cancer bingo event.
With pink cocktails in hand, 150 members of the Hadassah Southern California’s B'yachad Chapter drank to Hadassah’s work in breast cancer prevention and awareness, not just in October but year-round. Raising $25,000, attendees at the “Clink, Drink & Think Pink!” event on October 27 in Calabasas, CA, sipped their cocktails, enjoyed tasty treats and participated in a silent auction and drawings, all to the beats of DJ-spun music at the home of Hadassah supporters. Calabasas resident Jennifer Levin, a breast cancer survivor, also addressed the crowd, urging individuals to be their own healthcare advocates.
The B'yachad Chapter has hosted Breast Cancer Awareness Month events for over a decade. Their previous events have included “Give the Boot to Breast Cancer,” “Breast Cancer Boogie” and “Bling Your Bra for Breast Cancer.” “I have planned this for 11 years once I learned about Hadassah finding the relationship between the BRCA gene and breast cancer,” said Nancy Reiser, a vice president of fundraising for the B'yachad Chapter.
Hadassah researchers have confirmed that Ashkenazi Jews have at least a 10 times greater prevalence of BRCA1 gene mutations that can cause breast and ovarian cancer. This has led to more screenings and/or genetic consultations. Researchers have since discovered founder mutations in Sephardic and Kurdish Jews, increasing the risk of breast cancer in these populations. In Israel, Hadassah oncologists have treated the largest number of high-risk carriers of the BRCA genetic mutations tied to breast and ovarian cancer. Overall, breast cancer is the second most deadly cancer for women; it causes 43,600 deaths each year, with one out of eight women diagnosed in their lifetime.
On October 27 at the Merage JCC in Irvine, CA, 40 Evolve Hadassah: The Next Generation members indulged in the inaugural “Divine Decadence: A Chocolate Tasting Journey for a Cause,” featuring a professional chocolatier and remarks from event co-chairs Dr. Deborah Villanueva, Long Beach/Orange County area Evolve chair, and Monica Levy, Long Beach/Orange County area treasurer and Evolve committee member, about Hadassah’s groundbreaking research and cutting-edge treatments for breast cancer, emphasizing the importance of early screening and the psychosocial support Hadassah provides to women navigating this journey. According to Dr. Villanueva, the sold-out event was “executed with heart, fostering an environment where attendees felt connected and invested in the cause.” She continued, “It’s crucial for our region to host this event annually, as breast cancer affects a significant percentage of the Jewish female population — about one in eight women. Raising awareness about early screening and treatment is essential to saving lives.”
On the opposite side of the country, in advance of Hadassah Florida Broward’s “Busting Out for Breast Cancer Awareness” event, members were asked to decorate a bra as a way to share a personal breast cancer story. Then on display at the October 27 event at the Soref Jewish Community Center, the adorned bras encouraged conversations about breast health, according to region president Cheryl Cotler. “We decorate bras to raise awareness, honor survivors and encourage early detection and screening,” she said. Nearly 30 attendees also heard from Deborah Litwak, the Florida program coordinator for Sharsheret, a nonprofit dedicated to providing personalized support, education and community for Jewish women facing breast and/or ovarian cancer, and Dr. Lauren Carcas, a local oncologist.
Also in Florida, in one day on October 27, more than 400 participants representing 13 Hadassah chapters across the four Florida regions, including Chevra, Simcha of Aberdeen and Chai Buena Vista, laced up their most comfortable shoes and walked for the cause or participated in virtual “stepless walks.”
Away from the tropical Florida weather, Hadassah Chicago-North Shore members stayed warm at the “Hadassah Social” inside a sukkah at a member’s home in Wilmette on October 22. While celebrating Sukkot and marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, more than 40 attendees, nearly double last year’s turnout, packed care kits for women being treated for breast cancer and heard from a Sharsheret representative about innovations in cancer research. “This event was successful because it not only brought women together in a social atmosphere to celebrate Sukkot, but it engaged them in a tremendously worthwhile social action project,” said Rachel Chernoff, Hadassah Chicago-North Shore’s vice president of outreach and engagement and project leader. “We host this event annually to build a collaborative relationship between Hadassah and Sharsheret on such a profoundly important subject that affects so many women.”
Education was the focus of the Colorado Springs Chapter’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month event, focusing on the impact on men and women of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. The event aimed to “engage both members and the broader community with Hadassah’s health initiatives, medical research and women's health programs,” said Renee Sidman, annual planner for Hadassah West. This mission was accomplished, as more than half of the about 30 attendees were new to Hadassah. Guests heard about Hadassah's commitment to advocating for women's health, promoting women's initiatives and supporting groundbreaking cancer research and innovation in Israel, as well as from featured speaker Elana Strait, a genetic counselor who presented on common hereditary cancers in the Jewish community, genetic testing and emerging trends in genetics. The October 13 event was held at and in collaboration with Temple Shalom Men’s and Women's Club.
National and local advocacy are key for breast cancer prevention and awareness. In September, Marissa Fayer, CEO of DeepLook Medical and HERhealthEQ, appeared at a Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill, where she advocated for the Find It Early Act for dense breast screening. Like Hadassah, Fayer, a former member of Hadassah’s Young Women’s Cabinet, stresses the importance of early detection and screening. “Early detection saves lives, but we also need insurance to cover the cost for ALL women!” Fayer wrote on her LinkedIn page.
“Given the large portion of women affected by breast cancer in the Jewish community, Hadassah has been educating about understanding your risk, which involves BRCA genetic testing, obtaining annual screening mammograms and educating with resources about breast cancer,” she said. “We also need to educate our community about dense breast risks (which disproportionately affect Jewish women) and what alternate screening technologies should be made standard of care and about asking for these tests during their routine breast screening.”
Act now to support the Find It Early Act with Hadassah, legislation that would require all insurance plans to cover diagnostic breast imaging with no cost-sharing. Early detection saves lives!
Read more about how Hadassah hospitals have been making an impact on breast cancer:
Top Hadassah Specialist: More Genetic Services Needed to Support Rise in BRCA Testing
Dr. Shani Paluch-Shimon - A Pioneer in Breast Cancer Treatment
Saving More Breast Cancer Patients With New Perspectives and Paradigms
[Hadassah On Call] Pioneering Breast Cancer Experts Share New Updates from Israel
Testing for Breast Cancer Markers Can Save Arab Women’s Lives
