On Wednesday, Oct. 19, The Salem Missionary Baptist Church hosted an important annual health event for the community. The Power of Pink and Prayer brought together cancer survivors, family members, and members of the community along with health experts to educate communities about breast cancer and encourage faith and prayers as tools of healing.
Approximately 120 community members of all ages, largely from the East Flatbush neighborhood and nearby areas, listened to testimonials from survivors of breast cancer. They felt the joy of those who were eager to share their story; shared the pain of those who lost loved ones; and prayed together with clergy from a diversity of faiths. And they left with valuable information about cancer, including vital information about the best form of treatment — early detection.
The American Cancer Society has been sponsoring this event for the past three years to educate communities about breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in New York. The Healthcare Education Project – an initiative of 1199SEIU and the Greater New York Hospital Association — provided valuable information about the new legislation passed by Gov. Cuomo, making preventive screenings free for women and extending screening hours during mornings, evenings and weekends, to make it possible for women to make their appointments. The hotline for these free screenings is 1-866-442-2262, and the website is NYBRE
