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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month by Heather Murphy Public Relations We know the statistics.  We know that breast cancer plagues the nation’s women and especially African American women.  Members of MUSC’s Association of Black Healthcare Professionals are trying to help do something about it.  On Sept. 17, the association held a roundtable discussion with breast cancer survivors in honor of its third annual Autumn Gala, an event that sponsors a different local charity every year that will be held Oct. 5. “We want to contribute to charities that help everyone, but in particular those charities that help minority populations and work to lessen health care disparities,” said Association President Nikita Charles.  Dana Price, vice president of the organization and chair of the Autumn Gala Committee, introduced Cherry Seabrook, the founder of this year’s charity Second Chance, and two cancer survivors, Jennie Cooper and Amelia Taylor.  Second Chance, a non-profit group, was founded in order to offer support to any woman in the Charleston community with any type of cancer, while still catering to African American women.  The group works closely with Rise Sister Rise, a national support organization out of Washington, D.C.  Rise Sister Rise is for African American women with breast cancer and involves the integration of support services that better reflect the culture of African Americans.  Second Chance meets every other week for 16 weeks.  “We try to answer and discuss questions and issues that our physicians, family and friends sometimes don’t understand or don’t have the answers to,” Seabrook said, “We wanted to create a group that provided a much needed resource here in our community. African American women never talked about cancer or having cancer years ago because they felt it was no one’s business. When we treat cancer like any other disease, it’s much easier for people to open up and talk about it.”  Seabrook said that another goal of the group is to create awareness and discussion of cancer in the African American population and put an end to “all of this waiting until the last second.” Cooper knows all about waiting until the last second.  A self-described “walking time bomb,” Cooper survived stage four breast cancer and spoke to the assembly Sept. 17 about her ordeal. “Before I was involved in the support group, I pushed my family and friends away,” she said. “I felt like it was nobody’s business.”  Cooper’s voice permeated the room like a grandmother scolding a child, “You must pay attention to your body. You have got to listen to it when it starts to change.”  Her tone softened as she said, “There’s nothing wrong with having cancer, you’re only human. It’s so important for women to realize that, accept it, and then move on. That’s the only way to get better.” Taylor was diagnosed with colon cancer.  “I’m the only one in the group who survived colon cancer, so we say that I’m the backside of the group,” Taylor said with a good-natured chuckle.  She echoed Cooper, “You need to have a good doctor that you trust and like. It is important that you also know and trust your body to tell you when something’s wrong.” October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.       Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.