Support is everything to breast cancer patients

Second annual awareness event doubles attendance and triples funds raised

MOSES LAKE — Support by family, friends and medical staff are what makes surviving breast cancer bearable.

When Jan DeBeaumont finished the medical procedures for her bi-lateral mastectomy, she found her calling. DeBeaumont now serves as the director of the Moses Lake Cancer Foundation.

"I don't want anyone in Moses Lake to go through this alone," DeBeaumont told the 74 people at the second annual Stamp Out Breast Cancer awareness event Saturday at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church center in Moses Lake.

DeBeaumont and Zola Basart were the speakers sharing their tales of pain and suffering while surviving breast cancer. They recommend women receive mammograms and breast examinations annually to help reduce the amount of medical procedures needed to survive this common form of cancer. Breast cancer strikes one out of eight women, said DeBeaumont.

"The sooner they catch it, the less things they have to do," said Basart. "Don't be afraid to get a mammogram. It's not always cancer."

Basart said she endured more than 400 visits to doctors, clinics and hospitals for her breast cancer and breast reconstruction surgery. She survived with support from loved ones. She also shared about her brother, who died from cancer, and to her husband during his experience with prostate cancer.

The annual event is a fund-raiser to help offset some costs for women fighting

breast cancer and is also a method to raise

awareness. The money raised goes to the Moses Lake Cancer Foundation and the Breast Cancer Support Group.

Organizers Belinda Alaniz, Jan Przybylski and Melissa Sloan came together to give what support they could by running the event. Alaniz said part of her inspiration stems from her experiences with a business partner who faced breast cancer a second time, after beating it 13 years earlier.

"It was to meet a need that was there," Alaniz said about the event.

The group fashioned the event to bring brevity amidst the information provided during the fund-raiser. They did so by providing materials for attendees to stamp with, make scrap books, take part in a silent auction and have chances to win door prizes or a raffled quilt. The organizers are attached to local scrap book retails stores. Przybylski is a sales consultant for Stampin' Out, Alaniz is with We Be Stampin' and Sloan is with The Home Stretch.

Providing information on breast cancer and generating funds are the primary reasons for holding the annual event, said Alaniz. But having fun is important too, added Przybylski.

"The auction is the funnest part," Przybylski said. "At the end (of the auction) you want to generate a frenzy and I have a high, whiny pitch that helps do it."

The event is growing. Przybylski said this year they had 74 people attending, twice the number attending in 2004, and generated nearly triple the amount of money. The event raised $3,515 between the auction, quilt raffle, bracelet sales and attendance fees.

The group plans to hold the event again next year, with hopes of creating more awareness and raising more money to help people beat cancer.

For more information or to make a donation, call the foundation at 764-4644.