Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
Blackville Garden Club members (L to R) Joni Owens, Donna-Maria Conzalina, Joan McDonald, Darlene Brandt, Lil Stoltzfus, Diana Sears, Jeanette Weissman, Diana Packer. In attendance but not pictured, Caroline Freeman, Cheryl Long and Marla Jameson.
Darlene Brandt places pink ribbons on a couple of supportive gentlemen, Tyler Meisenholder and Cole Holland, at the event.
Steve and Darlene Brandt help BGC president, Lil Stoltzfus, place pink balloons on one of the signs Mrs. Brandt painted.
Barnwell Sheriff's deputy Lisa Carrigg was proud to wear a pink ribbon in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.
David Schultz, manager of Russell's Pizza in Blackville, serves Blackville Garden Club members donated meals in support of the campaign.
The Blackville Garden Club (BGC) participated in the regional Garden Club of SC's "Plant it Pink" Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign in front of Russell's Pizza on October 11.
Attending club members, each wearing pink outfits, gathered together and handed out pink seeds, snacks, lemonade and stickers along with pamphlets and other information at the event.
Thirty-one years ago, in 1992, pink ribbons became symbolically recognized for National Breast Cancer Awareness. Their purpose is to support those who have been diagnosed with, are battling, or are recovering from the disease.
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month originated in October 1985 with a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries. The combined effort promoted mammograms as a most effective step in the fight against breast cancer.
BGC's newest member, Darlene Brandt, who is a breast cancer survivor herself, contributed to the garden club's community presence by painting large pink and white awareness signs that, with the help of her supportive husband, Steve, were placed in town. The Brandts both attended the event and Darlene selflessly shared her personal story in hopes of helping others.
"I was very fortunate to have discovered the lump very early. A trip to urgent care to be referred for a mammogram, then the wait for that appointment which was confirmed after also having an ultrasound. I did have to have a biopsy as well to determine what type of breast cancer I had. I had a lumpectomy a month later. I went through chemo for 5 months and 32 radiation treatments," said Brandt, who has been cancer-free for close to four and a half years now. "Early detection is the key to survival."
She urges people to "please check out the website and at minimum, read the early detection pamphlet. It could save your life. There is a wealth of information on the National Breast Cancer Foundation website."
Statistics state each year in the United States, about 240,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women and about 2,100 in men.
However, because of awareness and early diagnosis there are more than 3.1 million breast cancer survivors.
Men and women of all ages stopped by the BGC tables for information, to show support and/or share their stories and enjoy a snack with club members. Among the attendees was deputy Lisa Carrigg, from the Barnwell County Sheriff's Office, who didn't hesitate to proudly add a pink ribbon to her dark blue uniform.
The BGC thanks everyone who stopped by for information, their support and help in bringing awareness to others.
A special thank you goes out to Russell's Pizza. Their Blackville location readily welcomed the BGC members to set up outside their front door and afterwards, restaurant manager David Schultz treated BGC members to lunch as a donation in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.
