Ladies Night Out to Highlight Breast Cancer Awareness

Release, Roper St. Francis Cancer Care:

Roper St. Francis Cancer Care will hold its sixth annual Ladies Night Out on Tues., Oct. 16, from 5–8 p.m. in the lobby of Roper Hospital in downtown Charleston. The evening will include screenings and clinical breast exams, as well as other women's health information, refreshments and giveaways. All will be provided at no cost.

"Ladies Night Out is our way of making access to breast screenings and breast health education materials affordable and easy for those who are not regularly visiting a doctor," said Bo Blessing MD, Surgical Associates of Charleston. "According to the American Cancer Society in 2012 more than 63,000 cases of early stage breast cancer will be diagnosed. Finding the disease early can make the difference in winning the fight … and a lot of women are winning."

Parking for Ladies Night Out is free in the Doughty and Lucas Street garages next to Roper Hospital. Please call 843-402-CARE (2273) to register or for more information. 

Screening is Still Important

"The American Cancer Society continues to recommend that women who are 40 or older get a mammogram every year along with an examination by a doctor or nurse," said Paul Baron, MD, Cancer Specialists of Charleston. "I strongly agree, but women also must know their own bodies well in order to monitor for changes."

Board certified surgeons Baron, Blessing, Dr. Stanley Wilson, MD, and Chris Hawk, MD, of Charleston Surgical Associates will be donating their time and expertise at Ladies Night Out along with other medical professionals.

Call Now to Register

"Ladies night Out is free and it is always a 'sellout.' The examination slots fill up fast. We try to accommodate as many people as possible, usually 125 to 150, but anyone interested in attending must register by phone in advance by calling 843-402-2273, and they should call as soon as possible," Dr. Wilson said. 

Both women and men are welcome to attend the screening. To be eligible for a free breast exam, individuals must be at least 20 years old and not have had a clinical breast exam during the past 12 months. Mammogram assistance will also be available for qualified participants through a grant from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. 

It is Complex and Complete

The Ladies Night Out event is just a small part of a complex network of community outreach educational programs, medical services and support initiatives provided by Roper St. Francis Cancer Care in the areas of breast cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Some features include board certified oncologists, radiologists and surgeons; chemotherapy certified nursing staff; and National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). For more information about Roper St. Francis Cancer Care please visit www.rsfh.com/cancer.

Get Your Pink On

Show support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month by getting a pink hair extension at Ladies Night Out or at any of the locations below and "get your pink on" during the month of October. The Healing Boutique at the Roper St. Francis Cancer Center, on the campus of Bon Secours St. Francis, will provide and position the extensions for $7.00 at the boutique almost every day in October and also at the times and locations below. All proceeds will benefit Roper St. Francis Cancer Care programs.

• Oct. 1, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., The Healing Boutique, 2085 Henry Tecklenburg Dr.
• Oct. 1, 5-7:30 p.m., Bon Secours St. Francis, 2085 Henry Tecklenburg Dr.
• Oct. 2, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Roper Hospital Radiation Oncology, 316 Calhoun St.
• Oct. 8 10-11 a.m. Roper St. Francis Mt. Pleasant Hospital, 3500 Highway 17 North
• Oct. 16, 5-8 p.m., Roper Hospital, Ladies Night Out, 316 Calhoun St.