Winneshiek County supervisors sign proclamation declaring October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

(Left to right): Supervisors Dean Darling and Les Askelson, Celebration of Life Board president Margaret Walter, supervisor Stephen Bouska, Celebration of Life board member Patty Casterton, supervisor John Logsdon

The Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors on Monday signed a proclamation declaring October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The proclamation urged all women and their families in Winneshiek County to get the facts about mammography.  The proclamation will be posted at Margaret's Clothing store in Decorah and at the Celebration of Life event on Monday, October 18th from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Elks Lodge in Decorah.

The Winneshiek County Celebration of Life board encouraged the supervisors to make the proclamation in support of Celebration of Life's mission to promote awareness and early detection of disease through education and financial support of preventive and screening services. Since the beginning of the Celebration of Life program in 1999, more than 625 women have received support for mammogram screenings performed locally at Winneshiek Medical Center and since 2008 for screenings performed at Gundersen Lutheran – Decorah Clinic.
 
The American Cancer Society recommends women should begin yearly mammogram screenings at the age of forty or earlier if there is a family history of breast cancer, or as recommended by their health care provider.  

The Winneshiek County Celebration of Life volunteer board members are: chairperson Margaret Walter, Renee Olson, Patty Casterton, Robin Fisher, Julie Katzer, Trudy Belay and Donna Gilbert.

For more information on the free mammogram screening benefits available to women in the area, visit www.winneshiekcol.com or contact Margaret Walter at 563-382-8202.