Breast cancer survivors and supporters came out decked out in pink at St Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth to celebrate the 6th.^th Annual Pinked Out party hosted by Anika Foundation.

“It’s a breast cancer awareness event that we started in Minneapolis and St. Paul. But we really wanted to bring this message of early detection and how important it is to get screening mammograms,” said Anika Foundation President and CEO Anika Robbins.

Closing out Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the event proves that the war against breast cancer is not over.

“We’re here to encourage women to get screened, get mammograms annually. Breast cancer is occurring in younger women these days. And so early detection is, as you say, life-saving. So it’s very important,” Robbins said.

One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, promoting early and regular screening reduces the chances of finding cancer in larger masses. The smaller the mass, the greater the chance that the treatment will be successful.

“When you screen, the chance of breast cancer being smaller is greater. So you’ll catch smaller cancers the more you screen. So what the American College of Radiology recommends is screening mammograms. Starting at age 40 and screening until age 75 every year,” said Dr. Jill Holsinger, radiologist at Essentia Health.

Living with breast cancer is a battle that shouldn’t be fought alone, and the soldiers in pink are ready to help those in need.

“Breast cancer is a disease that is very multidimensional in its equal opportunity disease. And we always want people to know, no matter what phase and stage you’re in. It helps to talk to people who have been through it. So they don’t feel like they’re fighting this disease alone,” said Reana Berry, the company’s founder. African American Breast Cancer Alliance.

Sage helps low-income Minnesotans or those without adequate insurance access breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic services (if screening tests are abnormal), and referral to treatment services. –MN Department of Health