Eren Tataragasi

Richmond County Daily Journal

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in an effort to raise awareness and money for a cure, one woman’s group is rolling the dice.

The Richmond Service League (formerly the Rockingham Junior Woman’s Club) is hosting its second annual Bunco for Breast Cancer Tournament Oct. 17 at Hudson Brothers Deli. Women from Richmond County and neighboring counties are encouraged to come out and play to raise money for the Cancer CARE fund through the FirstHealth Foundation.

The Cancer CARE fund assists the families of breast cancer patients and specifically benefits those who are dealing with breast cancer in the Richmond County area.

“While no one in our club has experienced breast cancer directly, we all know someone who has had it, or know someone who’s close family member has had it,” said Ashley Simmons, a member of the Service League. “We’re a group of women who can empathize with families of breast cancer survivors and those have lost their lives as a result of the disease.”

In a press release from the Service League, president Dena Cook said this event represents a unique effort to bring women together for an important cause.

“Having this tournament is a great way to support local families in their time of difficulty,” she said. “Many of these ladies play Bunco on a regular basis, so why not play and have the satisfaction of knowing that they are making a difference.”

Bunco is a game played in teams with three dice. A winning throw in Bunco is to throw three of a kind of a specified number. The game is 100 percent luck.

More than 30 women participated in last year’s tournament and they each received a player gift, chances to win door prices and participate in raffles. This year’s event will be similar and there will be free food and a cash bar.

Connie Lindstrand of Rockingham, a breast cancer survivor, said in the organization’s press release that she plans to attend the tournament and said she supports any event that raises awareness and shares resources with women and families.

Lindstrand also said it’s important for women to learn as much as they can about breast cancer.

“Women need to be educated in early detection and healthy lifestyles so that a diagnosis of breast cancer becomes a bend in the road of their journey and not a death sentence,” Lindstrand said. “Women can find strength in the knowledge that others have walked that road before and they are there to offer support, encouragement and hope.”

The American Cancer Society recently released a report that said breast cancer death rates in the U.S. continue to decline by more than 2 percent each year. The decline in deaths first began in 1990, however, an estimated 40,170 will still die of breast cancer in 2009, making breast cancer the second leading cause of cancer death (after lung cancer) in U.S. women.

And while declines in mortality have been observed in African-America, Hispanic and Caucasian women, African-American women continue to have higher rates of death from breast cancer than white women.

The report also stated that an estimated 192,370 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. The median age at breast cancer diagnosis was 61 years old, but women as young as 18 have been diagnosed with the disease.

The American Cancer Society said the decline in breast cancer deaths is likely because of improvements in treatment as well as early detection. For women at an average risk of breast cancer, the society recommends an annual mammogram beginning at age 40. Women at high risk of breast cancer may need to begin screening at a younger age and may be screened with both a mammogram and breast MRI.

It’s important to perform self breast exams every month to make sure no new lumps, thickening or hard knots, changes in the contour of each breast, swelling, dimpling, changes in the nipples, etc., have developed. If you discover any of these signs, make an appointment to see your health care provider immediately.

Bunco for Breast Cancer begins at 6 p.m. Oct. 17 at Hudson Brothers Deli, located at 115 S. Lee St... To pre-register for the event please visit the Bunco for Breast Cancer Facebook page or contact Jan Stivers at kevinandjan@etinternet.net.

The Richmond Service League is a chapter of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, North Carolina (GFWC). The GFWC in an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.