Waterbury’s annual Pink Out raises $60,000 for cancer screening

Republican-American – Wednesday, October 30, 2024
by Livi Stanford

WATERBURY – City officials announced Wednesday at the city’s annual Pink Out event to recognize breast cancer awareness month that more than $60,000 was raised to benefit the Breast Screening Fund at Saint Mary’s Hospital, which provides breast-screening tests for hundreds of women annually in Greater Waterbury who otherwise would not have access to those procedures.

The annual event is a partnership between the city and Saint Mary’s Hospital Foundation.

Dr. Beth Sieling a breast surgeon at Saint Mary’s Hospital, said 310,000 women are estimated to be diagnosed with breast cancer with 2800 men diagnosed as well.

She added that 42,250 will die of breast cancer and 530 men will die this year of breast cancer.

“I feel that is abhorrent,” she said. “It is too many.”

Dr. Nicole Sookhan, also a breast surgeon at Saint Mary’s Hospital, said doctors have noticed a trend here that younger women are developing breast cancer.

“We now see cancer in women in their 30s and 40s,” she said. “And cancer in young women are more aggressive.”

Sookhan emphasized the importance of going for a checkup if there are irregularities such as a lump or nipple discharge.

She added it is also essential to have a healthy diet.

Interim Superintendent Darren Schwartz said breast cancer certainly hits close to home as his mother in law was diagnosed.

“Because of early detection and the work you do my 3-year-old daughter has a grandmother and my wife has a mother and my wife’s father still has a wife. This is not overstating what you do on a daily basis. It is impacting families and generations.”

Waterbury Public Schools raised $18,000 to benefit the Breast Screening Fund.

Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski Jr. said early detection is key.

“When detected early the survival right is higher,” he said. “It is important to get people in early and that everyone has access to the resources to be able to do that.”

According to the American Cancer Society, breast screenings can improve outcomes as early detection reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer and can lead to a greater range of treatment options and lower health care costs.

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