Greetings Church!

October is a month generally celebrated as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” by countries across the world. Per an article on the website for the World Health Organization (WHO), this celebration ‘helps to increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care for this disease’. There are over one million new cases of breast cancer and almost half a million deaths from breast cancer every year according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. (IARC Globocan 2018).

 

I make two asks here for our women in the church and beyond. Your life is valuable. Treasure it! Do this by having regular checks for breast cancer. This is vitally important especially because it is said that there is not sufficient knowledge on the causes of breast cancer. Early detection then increases your chances of living longer with the disease.

 

Second, is to all of us including men. September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Let us recognize that cancer is a very serious disease and let us do our best to protect ourselves and be tested for each kind of cancer that may affect us so that we don’t lose our lives to breast cancer or any other kind of cancer for that matter. Remember the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is better than a whole pound of cure”.

 

The colors for each of the different kinds of cancers, from the cleveland clinic are :Breast Cancer is represented by the color pink, Prostate Cancer: Light blue, Lung Cancer: White or Pearl, Leukemia: Orange                   Brain Cancer: Gray, Pancreatic Cancer: Purple, Ovarian Cancer: Teal. Kidney Cancer: Orange, Melanoma: Black Childhood Cancer: Gold Other colors associated with specific cancers include: Blue: Bladder, testicular, lymphoma, Green: Liver, gallbladder. Purple: Uterine, thyroid, Red: Blood cancers, Yellow: Bone. 

 

During this month’s celebration, we do lift up those that we have lost to breast cancer and those who have survived. We also offer support for persons who are suffering with or who have lost friends and loved ones to the various kinds of cancers by wearing the colors that represent the various kinds of cancers. Galatians 6:2 encourages us to “bear one another’s burdens”. 

 

Let us remember in our prayers and continue to show our love and support those who are affected in any way by breast cancer or any other type of cancer.

 

Pressing On!

Pastor Bruce 

pastorbruce@firstchristianwpb.org

 

Pastor Bruce observes his Sabbath on Mondays and Fridays, a time of rest and renewal. On other days, he is glad to meet with you for prayer and pastoral care. To set up a time with Pastor Bruce, please call the church office at 561-683-8811 or email office@firstchristianwpb.org