The City of Lawrence Mayor’s Health Task Force (MHTF) and its vast partnership have come together to host and support a series of events in October, in observation of National Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. All events are free of charge and open to the general public. 
 

To kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Holy Family Hospital will sponsor this year’s MHTF annual breakfast on Thursday, October 6, 2016, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., at Elks Lodge, 652 Andover Street in Lawrence.  With the title “Your Breast Health…Guiding You from Community to Care” this collaborative looks to highlight the critical role that navigation services play, ranging from educating women about the importance of early detection through community-based grassroots efforts, to connecting them to medical care and cancer screening services, to supporting them through diagnosis, treatment and beyond.  
 

Luz Rosado, Outreach & Enrollment Specialist at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center and Health Ambassador for the YWCA of Greater Lawrence Women’s Health Advocacy Services program, and Jean T. Pierce, RN, BSN, OCN, at Holy Family Hospital, will serve as guest speakers.  They will talk about their work and experience in guiding women through the continuum of care, and will share tips and resources for women to access health insurance and medical care.  A local breast cancer survivor will also share her personal story and her experience with receiving navigation services, both grassroots and at medical sites.  A special invitation is extended to female and male breast cancer survivors from the greater Lawrence area, their families and friends.  Space is limited!  Please register by calling Esther Alburquerque at the YWCA at (978) 687-0331. 
 

To combine both Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the MHTF will host its 10th Annual Celebrating Women’s Safety & Wellness event at the Lawrence Senior Center from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 13, 2016.  This event is a special celebration of the resilience of local women in the face of challenging life circumstances.  This pampering event offers a variety of relaxation, self-care and healing activities, while also raising awareness about issues of safety, health and wellness. Refreshments and a delicious and healthy dinner will be served. Space is limited to 75 participants. This event is open to women over the age of 18, residing in the greater Lawrence area.  A special invitation is extended to survivors of breast cancer and domestic violence. Register today by calling Elecia Miller at the MHTF at 978-620-3527. 

Tables with Information and resources related to breast cancer and domestic violence will be available at Lawrence City Hall and at various locations throughout Lawrence, including palm cards for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and the Pink Brochure listing a wide variety of resources for breast cancer and cancer survivors in general.
 

The Clothesline Project, a visual display of shirts with messages and illustrations that have been designed by survivors of violence or by someone who knows a woman who has been killed due to violence, will be on display at Lawrence City Hall and the Northern Essex Community College Lawrence Campus.  The purpose of this project is to increase awareness of the impact of violence against women, to celebrate women’s strength to survive and to provide another avenue for her to courageously break the silence that often surrounds her experience.

The 14th annual Brides March to Denounce Domestic Violence, led by Delamano, Inc., in partnership with the YWCAs of Greater Lawrence and Haverhill, the YWCA North Shore Rape Crisis Center, the MHTF, the Lawrence Senior Center, and the Center for Hope and Healing in Lowell, was September 26.  Held annually in Lawrence and other cities around the country, it is conducted in memory of Gladys Ricart, a Dominican immigrant who was murdered on her wedding day on this date in 1999, by her ex-boyfriend,  as well as other victims of domestic violence who have lost their lives.
 

For general information, or to request a calendar of events, please contact Vilma Martínez-Domínguez ([email protected]/ 978-620-3526) or Elecia Miller ([email protected] / 978-620-3527) at the City of Lawrence Mayor’s Health Task Force, or Yashira Robles at the YWCA of Greater Lawrence at 978-687-0331 or [email protected].