By Carol Moody Becker
December 13, 2004

Across the nation, mayors gave their wholehearted support for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), with 101 cities reporting that they issued proclamations urging women to seek mammography during October and throughout the year. Mayors wrote letters to the editor calling attention to NBCAM and issued press releases to alert the media to promote mammography and breast cancer awareness during October.

Mayors collaborated on community breast cancer awareness seminars, such as Schaumburg (IL) Mayor Al Larson, who supported the "I Flunked My Mammogram" symposium. Others, such as Rome (NY) Mayor James F. Brown, conducted education programs for city employees.

Several mayors participated in fund-raisers, such as Romeoville (IL) Mayor Fred Dewald, who supported the American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life," and Medford (MA) Mayor Michael J. McGlynn, who promoted Lee National Denim Day for city employees, who donated to breast cancer awareness in return for wearing denim to work.

Many mayors conducted special events, such as Michigan City (IN) Mayor Charles Oberlie, who held a garden party for local religious leaders to promote "Pink Ribbon Sunday." Lake Charles (LA) Mayor Randy Roach held a breast cancer awareness tea for families. Glen Cove (NY) Mayor Mary Ann Holzkamp promoted NBCAM through "Gardens of Hope," with the community planting pink tulip bulbs throughout the city for a spring breast cancer awareness event.

Free or reduced-cost mammograms were provided, in several cities such as Columbia (SC) — an initiative strongly supported by Mayor Robert D. Coble. Especially important, mayors supported special outreach to women from racial and ethnic minorities. African Americans and Latinas were reached through their churches by Plainfield (NJ) Mayor Al McWilliams, while Temple City (CA) Mayor Peter Zovak held an awareness seminar for Chinese-speaking residents — emphasizing that breast cancer can be cured if detected early.

For more details on the Mayors' NBCAM activities and/or to join the Mayors' Campaign Against Breast Cancer online, visit the USCM Web site: usmayors.org/cancer. Additional information about the Cancer Awareness Program of the U. S. Conference of Mayors, may be obtained by contacting Crystal D. Swann, Assistant Executive Director by e-mail: cswann@usmayors.org or by telephone: 202-293-7330.