DETROIT (WXYZ) — With October being breast cancer awareness month, the annual Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure 5k run or walk kicked off on Belle Isle Saturday.
Over 4,000 people in pink took part and stepped up the fight against the disease that, according to the CDC, claim the lives of 42,000 women and 500 men in the U.S. each year.
Executive Director, Michigan Susan G. Komen, Jaye Sciullo says the mission is simple; raise funds for research, increase access to care, provide support to the community, commit to action.
"In Michigan, this year, 9,000 women are going to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than a third of them are going to face serious financial issues affording the high cost of treatment," said Sciullo.
That's also where Dr. Shoshana Hallowell's Operation Breast Density takes center stage.
"I started a non profit to educate clinicians about breast density. How to screen these women and what to order. My non profit will also pay for the supplemental imaging that insurance companies often don't cover," said Dr. Hallowell.
Besides being a general and bariatric surgeon, Dr. Hallowell is also a breast cancer survivor.
"I never thought that was going to happen to me," said Dr. Hallowell.
The 39-year-old was diagnosed ten days after her birthday in October 2020.
"I've literally heard the same sentence a million times over the phone, Dr. Hollowell, the pathology is positive, but this time, it was for me. And it was an absolute shock," said Dr. Hallowell.
Dr. Hallowell says thanks to technology, screening options have increased and are even more accurate.
"Early screening is vital. Stage 1 cancer diagnosis has a 99% 5-year survival rate. As you increase in stages, for example, stage 3, once it goes to your lymph nodes, the survival rate decreases by 66%," said Dr. Hallowell.
Meanwhile, after undergoing a mastectomy, Dr. Hallowell took another bold step last year towards empowering herself and fellow survivors.
"I did the Mrs. America Pageant in Michigan, and I won the Mrs. Detroit title," said Dr. Hallowell.
While plans to participate in more beauty pageants have yet to be ruled out, Dr. Hallowell's priority is to share her survival story about the disease.
To learn more about Operation Breast Density, head to https://www.operationbreastdensity.org.
