As part of International Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a group of Israeli women are organizing a large march this week to help Israelis become more alert to the dangers posed by the disease.
Under the slogan, "Awareness Can Save Your Life,, a 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) Breast Cancer Awareness Walk is scheduled to take place at Park Raanana this coming Friday. The walk will be followed by a “happening” in the park with lectures, discussions, live music, a raffle and family-oriented activities.
"The aim of this march is to raise awareness among the public about breast cancer and to inspire women to get themselves tested," said Sarah Freund, one of the organizers. "By educating people about this issue, and stressing the importance of testing and prevention, we can make a difference in people's lives and fight this deadly disease."
The event is taking place under the auspices of the non-profit Tishkofet (www.tishkofet.co.il) organization, in cooperation with the Raanana municipality, the Maccabi and Clalit Health Funds, and the Meir and Tel Hashomer hospitals.
Founded nearly ten years ago, Tishkofet has assisted thousands of patients and their families throughout Israel in coping with terminal illnesses via a range of innovative programs such as workshops, seminars and retreats.
The walk is dedicated in memory of two Raanana women, Mindy Greenberg and Diane Taragin, both of whom were active and beloved members of the Raanana community who fell victim to the disease. The Greenberg and Taragin families have expressed support for the event.
"According to the latest available statistics, breast cancer strikes one in eight Israeli women," said Tishkofet founder, Prof. Ben Corn, MD, who is Chairman of the Radiation Oncology department at the Tel Aviv Medical Center. "In more than a third of the cases, the disease has spread beyond the breast by the time it is detected." As a result, a quarter of those hit by the disease die within two years of being diagnosed.
Nonetheless, despite breast cancer's great frequency and deadly track record, fewer than half of Israeli women over the age of 50 reportedly bother to get a mammogram.
In addition to education, other prevention factors include eating correctly, staying physically active, and limiting alcohol consumption. All of these will be highlighted at the event, which will include information tables aimed at making a range of educational materials available to participants.
"Nothing can guarantee that a woman's life will be cancer-free," said Freund. "But if you practice healthy habits and consult your doctor about additional measures you can take, you can reduce your risk of this potentially fatal disease - and that is something that every Israeli woman needs to know."
For more information, or to register to participate in the walk, visit www.tishkofet.co.il.
Under the slogan, "Awareness Can Save Your Life,, a 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) Breast Cancer Awareness Walk is scheduled to take place at Park Raanana this coming Friday. The walk will be followed by a “happening” in the park with lectures, discussions, live music, a raffle and family-oriented activities.
"The aim of this march is to raise awareness among the public about breast cancer and to inspire women to get themselves tested," said Sarah Freund, one of the organizers. "By educating people about this issue, and stressing the importance of testing and prevention, we can make a difference in people's lives and fight this deadly disease."
The event is taking place under the auspices of the non-profit Tishkofet (www.tishkofet.co.il) organization, in cooperation with the Raanana municipality, the Maccabi and Clalit Health Funds, and the Meir and Tel Hashomer hospitals.
Founded nearly ten years ago, Tishkofet has assisted thousands of patients and their families throughout Israel in coping with terminal illnesses via a range of innovative programs such as workshops, seminars and retreats.
The walk is dedicated in memory of two Raanana women, Mindy Greenberg and Diane Taragin, both of whom were active and beloved members of the Raanana community who fell victim to the disease. The Greenberg and Taragin families have expressed support for the event.
"According to the latest available statistics, breast cancer strikes one in eight Israeli women," said Tishkofet founder, Prof. Ben Corn, MD, who is Chairman of the Radiation Oncology department at the Tel Aviv Medical Center. "In more than a third of the cases, the disease has spread beyond the breast by the time it is detected." As a result, a quarter of those hit by the disease die within two years of being diagnosed.
Nonetheless, despite breast cancer's great frequency and deadly track record, fewer than half of Israeli women over the age of 50 reportedly bother to get a mammogram.
In addition to education, other prevention factors include eating correctly, staying physically active, and limiting alcohol consumption. All of these will be highlighted at the event, which will include information tables aimed at making a range of educational materials available to participants.
"Nothing can guarantee that a woman's life will be cancer-free," said Freund. "But if you practice healthy habits and consult your doctor about additional measures you can take, you can reduce your risk of this potentially fatal disease - and that is something that every Israeli woman needs to know."
For more information, or to register to participate in the walk, visit www.tishkofet.co.il.