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State to go 'Pure Michigan Pink' in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Pure Michigan Pink banner

LANSING, Mich. - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Michigan and all official state of Michigan social media accounts will be “going pink” for the second year in a row, Gov. Rick Snyder announced today.

 “A woman in the United States has a one in eight chance of developing invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. But when breast cancer is caught early and treated, survival rates can be near 100 percent,” said Snyder, whose wife, first lady Sue Snyder, successfully battled breast cancer. “During this month we join with numerous organizations, agencies and health professionals to raise breast cancer awareness in Michigan, and to remind women everywhere that regular screening and early detection are crucial to surviving this invasive disease.”

 The “M” in the Pure Michigan logo, usually seen in blue or green, will be made pink in social media profile images and platform backgrounds for the entire month of October. State of Michigan department Web pages, the official Michigan.gov portal and Snyder’s website will also display the pink “M” for the cause. The state of Michigan launched the effort last year and received overwhelming support from state agencies, partners and residents across Michigan.

 With a collective following of nearly 6 million users among its 147 total social media accounts, the state of Michigan is launching the campaign for a second year to engage citizens with a series of messages that will include breast cancer screening tips, information and resources.

 This year, Michigan residents are encouraged to tweet, post and share their story and images using the #puremipink hashtag on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Appropriate images will be shared and cataloged in a special gallery on www.michigan.gov/socialmedia. A list of breast cancer awareness events around Michigan will be available on the Pure Michigan blog: http://www.michigan.org/blog/link-roundup/pure-michigan-pink-recognizes-breast-cancer-awareness-month.

 Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among Michigan women and the most commonly diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 8,140 women to be diagnosed in 2013, according to the American Cancer Society.

 The Michigan Cancer Consortium, Michigan Department of Community Health, American Cancer Society and the American Medical Association recommend that women age 20 and older have a clinical breast exam performed by a health care provider every three years. Women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram and clinical breast exam every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health.

 Although every woman is at risk of developing breast cancer, some factors increase a woman’s likelihood of developing the disease. These risk factors include:

  • Increasing age.
  • A personal history of breast cancer.
  • A family history of breast cancer (especially pre-menopausal onset) in a mother, sister or other multiple relatives.
  • High-dose radiation to the chest.
  • Never giving birth or having a first child after the age of 30.
  • A long menstrual history.

 Women who cannot afford a mammogram may qualify for free breast cancer screening and diagnostic services through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP). To be eligible for the program, women must meet the following criteria:

  • Have an income below 250 percent of the federal poverty level (for example, in 2012 a family of two can earn up to $38,775 per year and still qualify).
  • Be uninsured or underinsured.
  • Be between the ages of 40 and 64.

 For more information on the BCCCP, call 1-800-922-MAMM to obtain a local phone number for a nearby BCCCP coordinating agency or visit https://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2940_2955-13487--,00.html.

 For more information about state of Michigan social media initiatives visit www.michigan.gov/socialmedia. To learn more about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit www.nbcam.org.

 

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