Camp Taji hosts breast cancer awareness walk

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brent Hunt | CAMP TAJI, Iraq -- Soldiers sign-up for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer on here July 8. The five-kilometer walk was held in conjunction with a similar walk in San Francisco to raise awareness about breast cancer.  

TAJI, IRAQ

07.14.2006

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Hunt 

1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Hunt
1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div

CAMP TAJI, Iraq " From opposite sides of the planet, more than 300 Soldiers and civilians participated in a five-kilometer walk around Camp Taji, Iraq, in conjunction with citizens in San Francisco to spread awareness about breast cancer July 8.

Dubbed the "Avon Walk for Breast Cancer," residents of the camp north of Baghdad got up early before the day's extreme summer heat began, donned their pink breast cancer awareness shirts and spread the news about the deadly disease.

"You are here today because you or someone you know has been affected by breast cancer," said Lt. Col. Jeffery Toomer, mayor of Camp Taji. "I personally have been affected by breast cancer, because my grandmother died just last month of it.

Avon is sponsoring the same event today in San Francisco; we are just ahead of them (11-hour time difference between Iraq and California)."

In the United States, someone is diagnosed every three minutes with breast cancer. It is the most common cancer among women, except for nonmelanoma skin cancers and the chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in a woman's life is about one in seven (13.4 percent).

Currently, there are more than 2 million women living in the U.S. who are being treated for breast cancer. It is estimated that in 2006, 211,240 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the U.S. It is the second leading cause of death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer.

Fortunately, 90 percent of patients survive when cancer is detected early and treatment is begun.

"My mom had breast cancer eight years ago, but is a survivor," said Chief Warrant Officer Kathleen Harris of Company B, 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. "I've never done one (awareness walk) before, but I guess they had to send me to Iraq to do one."

"I do this every year," said Sgt. Andrew Tuttle, Black Hawk crew chief with 2nd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Inf. Div. "All of my grandparents have in one way or another been affected by breast cancer. I've lost three grandparents to cancer and I have one grandmother who is fighting breast cancer. This type of event puts it out there and it shows how many people this affects. It brings it home."

For more information about breast cancer awareness and prevention, visit the Novartis Oncology Program Web site at www.ribbonofpink.com.

• Date Taken: 07.14.2006
• Date Posted: 07.14.2006 07:55
• Story ID: 7181
• Location: TAJI, IQ