Muscogee (Creek) Nation celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 30, 2019

(Photo by: MCNPR) Breast cancer survivors Sandra Lambert and Dr. Michelle Wells spoke about their experiences during a Survivor Panel at the 17th Annual Pink Party held at the Glenpool Conference Center in Glenpool, Okla.

For Immediate Release

Oct. 30, 2019

Survivors discuss experiences dealing with disease

GLENPOOL, Oklahoma —

I got this feeling inside my bones

It goes electric, wavy when I turn it on

All through my city, all through my home

We’re flying up, no ceiling, when we’re in our zone

The lyrics to Justin Timberlake’s hit song, ‘Can’t stop the feeling,’ blared through the speakers at the 17th annual Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health Pink Party.

Accompanying the song was a dance video involving Muscogee (Creek) employees and youth throughout the jurisdiction.

Employees, citizens and above all, survivors of cancer filled the event center for this year’s celebration.

MCN Secretary of Health Shawn Terry welcomed everyone to the party and recognized the many survivors that participated.

“It is such a celebration in who we get to honor,” he said. “More and more people want to become a part of this [Pink Party] and get more knowledge and awareness on breast cancer.”

Terry said Native American women have some of the highest rates in getting breast cancer and the event has helped with recognizing the women and men that have faced this type of cancer.

“We have done such an amazing job in honoring the survivors,” Terry said. “When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it’s not only affecting that person. It affects their family.”

MCN Principal Chief James Floyd spoke to the audience about the importance of having the Pink Party and why it is necessary for the awareness of breast cancer.

“It tells me the people here at the Pink Party are interested in learning how to recognize breast cancer and the steps they should do if they have a concern,” Floyd said.

According to breastcancer.org, about 1 in 8 U.S. women, roughly 12 percent, will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

This year, an estimated 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 62,930 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.

Doctors representing the Saint Francis Oncology and Breast Cancer Group in Tulsa, Okla., were keynote speakers for the Pink Party. They spoke to the audience on how they team up to help patients who are combating breast cancer.

“No two cancer cases are the same,” Oncologist Dr. Fuad Hassany said. “Each breast cancer is different.”

Muscogee (Creek) citizen and butterfly whisperer, Virginia Williams was there and served as moderator for a panel of survivors who spoke about their breast cancer experiences.

“One of the things that bothered me when I found out I had breast cancer was not being in control,” breast cancer survivor Sandra Lambert said. “I wanted it gone (breast cancer). It was a process and I like things to happen quickly. Having to depend on others was hard for me.”

Floyd had one last thing to say to the survivors at the Pink Party.

“I want to thank you for being here today at the Pink Party,” he said. “You are beacons in your family and the communities. You represent strength and we need that.”

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