Cancer survivors, family members and friends all turned out late Wednesday afternoon to decorate the LaGrange’s town square in preparation for the seventh annual Paint the Town Pink event.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, activities for Paint the Town Pink will be taking place at Lafayette Square in downtown LaGrange to raise awareness for breast cancer. Thursday night, the square was decorated with pink ribbons, sashes, banners and bows by about 27 volunteers.
Wanda Lowe, an 11-year breast cancer survivor and the chairperson for Breast friends for Life, offered this explanation of what this event is all about.
“Paint the Town Pink is for awareness and the celebration of survivors, we use this event as an opportunity to educate both women and men on a variety of health issues. West Georgia Health is connected in the community with District IV Health Services and and West Georgia Cancer Coalition, together they are providing services and support to the women in our area,” said Lowe.
Along with featured events, there will also be about 25 organizations who will be available on Saturday to offer information and their services to attendees of the event. The HOPE for a Day Walk, free clinical breast exams, women’s health screenings and the distribution of vouchers for free mammograms, are among the featured events on Saturday.
The third annual HOPE for a Day Walk, is a 10-mile walk that raises funds for organizations that provide education and services to the women in our area, will be taking place on Saturday. Pam Herndon started the walk in order to raise funds for the Troup County cancer survivors.
“This is the third year we are having this walk, and every year the event gets bigger and bigger. This year we have 260 walkers and crew taking part in it,” said Herndon.
Herndon, who is not a survivor herself, has had family and friends affected with breast cancer and is extremely committed in trying to get people educated concerning early detection.
“I want to remind everyone that we will have the West Georgia trailer here on Saturday, giving free breast exams starting at 10 in the morning until 1:30 in the afternoon. Early detection is our best protection,” said Herndon.
“The Journey-Connections” art exhibit will also be taking place starting Sept. 27 through Oct. 26. The exhibit, located at the Cochran Gallery on the Square, is an outgrowth of the art therapy program at the Enoch Callaway Cancer Clinic. Participants worked on individual canvases to create an original design that had personal significance to them. The finished canvases were then displayed together at the gallery to create a patchwork quilt effect, thus signifying the connections of the participants’ journeys. This is an exhibit that has meaning to many and a story for all.
The Paint the Town Pink event on Saturday promises to be both entertaining and educational while raising funds and awareness that will increase the survival rate, and one day may even help to totally eliminate breast cancer.
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