2nd Annual Let’s Beat Breast Cancer Rally at Foley Square

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Breast cancer survivors, community members, and local leaders are invited to join experts from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, along with a unique blend of local percussionists, to “beat the drum” for breast cancer prevention in the acknowledgment of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On September 19th local drumline performances were featured at the 2nd ANNUAL LET’S BEAT BREAST CANCER RALLY at Foley Square.
The event’s message was simple: Eating a plant-based diet and incorporating lifestyle changes can be powerful preventive medicine for breast cancer. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, approximately 42,000 women and 500 men in the United States die from breast cancer each year. And the disease disproportionately affects Black women, who have a higher rate of death from breast cancer than white women.
The Physicians Committee encourages people to reduce breast cancer risk by following the four-pronged approach:
•Eat a whole food, plant
-based diet.
•Exercise regularly.
•Limit alcohol.
•Maintain a healthy
weight.
A recent study from the Journal of Clinical Oncology showed that eating less fat and more fruits, vegetables, and grains could help protect breast cancer survivors, too.
A recent Physicians Committee/Morning Consult survey showed just 28% of U.S. women are aware of the link between diet and breast cancer. The poll included 2,017 women interviewed July 25, 2024, to July 28, 2024. When prompted with a follow-up question about which specific foods might reduce breast cancer risk, 23% mentioned vegetables, and 16% mentioned fruits. Only 17% were aware that soy products reduce breast cancer risk, while 16% erroneously said that soy increases the risk of developing breast cancer.
The findings show almost no increase in awareness of diet-related preventive steps in recent decades. In a 1995 telephone survey of 510 women, 23% cited dietary factors (reducing intake of fat or meat or increasing intake of vegetables, fruit, fiber, or vegetarian meals) as ways to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.
Dr. Kristi Funk, a breast cancer surgeon and leading prevention expert from Los Angeles, said, “It’s clear that millions of women have yet to hear the lifesaving message that what they eat and drink strongly influences their chances of developing breast cancer. Science shows nearly 50% of cases are preventable through diet and lifestyle, at least in theory, and in my opinion, 80 to 90% of cases could be avoided.”
For more information on the steps women can take to decrease their chances of developing breast cancer and to find a rally near you, visit www.LetsBeatBreastCancer.org