Don’t be misled by the sea of pink ribbons and cheerful awareness slogans: Breast cancer is a serious and relentless adversary. Its impact is both deeply personal and widespread, affecting patients, families, and communities.
It is predicted there will be a total of 316,950 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in U.S. women in 2025 alone. According to the National Breast Cancer Coalition, a woman dies from breast cancer every 13 minutes. Those are grim statistics, but the more stories of hope we share, the better the chance of raising awareness and saving lives.
Inside this edition of Central Florida Health News, you’ll find inspirational stories about two survivors, each with their own powerful account. Katie Rader turned her journey through cancer, treatment, and beyond into a book that now helps others who face the same fate. Kanyetta Wilson uses her tale of perseverance and self-advocacy to drive home an important message: Nobody is more familiar with your body than you.
In addition, our Outreach Feature follows the growth of the Breast Cancer Foundation of Central Florida from meager beginnings in the spare room of a house to an official 501(c)(3) that just recently opened an office in Lakeland.
Finally, don’t forget to take our Pop Quiz to learn more about dense breast tissue and how it relates to breast cancer screening.
On behalf of the Polk County Medical Association, I wish you a safe and happy October.