As many of you are aware, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it has been a very busy but very rewarding month for me as well.

 

During the month of October, I made several appearances at breast cancer fundraisers and spoke about my breast cancer awareness platform on TV and radio and at health-related public events in both the Chicago area and in Southern Illinois. One organization I am very proud to be working closely with is American Cancer Society.  I was honored to serve as a keynote speaker at their regional meeting in Schaumburg on October 12.  I also enjoyed cheering on the many thousands of walkers who flocked to Chicago's lakefront in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk on October 21.

 

On October 16, Governor Rod Blagojevich announced that Illinois would be the first and only state in the nation to offer free cancer screenings and treatment to all uninsured women.  Through this initiative, Illinois women over the age of 35 can receive free cervical cancer screenings, and women over the age of 40 can receive free mammograms and breast exams.



First Lady Patricia Blagojevich is reinforcing this message by urging Illinois women to get screened. On October 19, she announced the "Tell a Friend" campaign encouraging men and women alike to help spread the word for women to take charge of their health and get breast and cervical cancer screenings during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.



I offer my full support of these statewide initiatives and look forward to working closely with both the Governor and First Lady to do my part to promote these programs in the community.

For more information about this program, visit:  http://cancerscreening.illinois.gov/   

 

For six years I have dedicated myself to contributing to the fight against breast cancer. When I was nine-years-old, my grandmother lost her battle with breast cancer, but I vividly remember the pain and suffering that she was forced to endure.

In recent years, breast cancer has become a familiar topic to most Americans. However, thousands upon thousands of women still lose their lives every year due to this disease. We now know that breast cancer does not just affect women who are over the age of 40, but women of all ages and men as well.

That is why I am continuing to raise awareness and advocate for breast cancer. There are still individuals who do not practice early detection methods. There are still those who do not know the risks. There are still those who do not receive the proper care. That is why we must continue to battle for a cure for this disease.

I hope that you will find helpful information on this website and that you will share what you learn with someone you love.

I want to thank all of the organizations I had the privilege of working with, the individuals I was honored to meet and the lives I was able to touch during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  I hope that you will continue to follow and support my efforts to promote my breast cancer awareness platform throughout the state of Illinois.


God Bless,


Ashley