Free breast cancer program at Virginia Baptist Hospital Friday

By Cynthia Pegram
Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: April 30, 2008

A showcase of the Witness Project, a breast and cervical cancer education program, will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday in the Craddock Auditorium of Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital on Rivermont Avenue.

The free program will include presentations by two Arkansas trainers, Mattye Willis and Linda Shelby.

The Witness Project was developed about 17 years ago at the University of Arkansas to reach out to medically underserved black women to alert them to the prevalence of breast cancer.

Since then, groups have established in many cities nationwide, including a core group in Harlem, N.Y.

Friday’s program is one of two Witness Project sessions sponsored by the Centra Oncology Breast Education Program.

The Saturday event, an all-day training session requiring registration, is now full, said Kara Lamb R.N., program coordinator.

The Witness Project works through community groups such as churches and civic organizations. Two cancer survivors and a lay health adviser, present information about cancer awareness, warning signs, what to do for prevention, early detection and breast self-exams, Lamb said.

They show a short video, talk with the women, and the survivors share their stories and how they found the breast or cervical cancer, Lamb said.

The Witness Project group in Central Virginia is unusual in that it is integrated.

“It is exciting to see women of different background coming together for a common purpose,” Lamb said.

No registration is required for the Friday program, which includes light refreshments. For more information, contact Kara Lamb, R.N., at (434) 200-5127.