A new community event in Northumberland is aiming to provide an evening of education, support and hope for people affected by breast cancer.
Stronger Together: Stay ABreast will take place October 7th at the Capitol Theatre, bringing together people with lived experience, healthcare professionals and members of the community.
The event is being hosted by the Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation and the Survivor Thrivers.
Rhonda Cunningham, executive director of the Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation, says the idea came from a local man’s search for a way to support his wife after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Cunningham says that conversation led to the idea of creating something that could bring people together to learn and support one another.
The evening will begin with doors opening at 6 p.m., with vendors and exhibitors available before the main program begins at 7 p.m.
One of the featured speakers will be Jennifer, who is currently undergoing treatment. Her story will be supported by three physicians who will provide information about different points in the breast cancer journey.
Another speaker, Sandy, is a breast cancer survivor who will discuss what survivorship can look like after treatment.
Cunningham stresses that the event is intended to be about more than fundraising.
There will still be a significant fundraising component.
The Survivor Thrivers are raising money toward a new dragon boat for their team, while the NHH Foundation is seeking one-point-five million dollars this fall to modernize the hospital’s breast health program.
That investment will include a new 3D mammography unit, an ultrasound machine, a bone mineral density scanner and wire-free breast tissue localization technology.
Cunningham says community support will be key to reaching those goals.
Tickets are $55 and are available through the Capitol Theatre website or through the NHH Foundation’s event page.
The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on October 7th at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope.
(Written by: Branden Rushton)
