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August 5, 2020
Taking Action against Breast Cancer
Momentum builds for virtual ‘More Than Pink Walk’
Janet Long is encouraging
her community and others to
take action against breast cancer
by supporting the virtual More
Than Pink Walk on Sunday,
Aug. 23 sponsored by Susan G.
Komen Oregon and Southwest
Washington.
The fundraiser supports breast
cancer prevention and treatment,
including Komen’s outreach to
the African American community
with its “Worship in Pink” gather-
ings and events.
For Long, church has become
not just a place of worship and
community, it’s a place to take
action to educate, empower and
inspire women and men to take
control of their breast health.
Worship in Pink is a unique
program for congregations of all
faiths and community organiza-
tions in the Portland metro area
to provide the information needed
in order to increase the number of
women receiving mammograms.
“Any action, big or small can
make a difference in someone’s
life,” Long said. “I have been a
[Worship in Pink] ambassador
since the beginning; we share
information about breast health,
[encourage attendees] to speak up
Janet Long
when it comes to their body, and
[educate them on] the importance
of getting a yearly mammogram.”
A couple of years ago, for ex-
ample, Long said a church member
who had been attending one of the
Worship in Pink events decided
to have her annual mammogram,
which allowed doctors to detect her
cancer early and provide treatment.
She is now cancer free.
Taking action is one pillar of
four that make up the entirety of
Komen’s work, the others being
research, community and care.
Komen’s focus on advocating
for more research funding and
critical patient protections, edu-
cating health care providers, poli-
cymakers, opinion leaders and the
public about the burden of breast
cancer, and empowering patients
and the public with fact-based in-
formation and guidance, is aimed
at giving patients control of their
breast health.
The upcoming More Than Pink
Walk is Komen Oregon and SW
Washington’s largest fundraising
event of the year. Though partic-
ipants can’t gather in person this
year because of the social distanc-
ing requirements of the coronavi-
rus pandemic, the dollars raised
through this event are what pay
for Komen’s important programs
like Worship in Pink.
“I have participated in the Walk
[aka Race for the Cure] since
2002, [when I] began walking
with my daughter and friends in
remembrance of the First Lady
of our church, who lost her battle
with breast cancer; we later signed
up as a team from our church,”
Long said. “The walk not only
raises money for research [ser-
vices, and programs], but it builds
relationships, supports survivors,
encourages those still battling
breast cancer, and [honors] those
warriors who lost their battle.”
Right now, Komen Oregon and
SW Washington stands ready to
help those affected by breast can-
cer with educational programs,
screening, gas, food, and lodging,
but the organization has experi-
enced a significant decrease in do-
nations since the beginning of the
pandemic.
By joining the More Than Pink
Walk on Aug. 23, you’re tak-
ing action and helping to keep
Komen’s doors open, so they can
provide programs and services to
people who desperately need them
in Oregon and SW Washington,
officials said. Register today at
KomenOregon.org.
If your church is interested in
participating in Komen’s Wor-
ship in Pink program and you’d
like more information, visit
komenoregon.org/worship-in-
pink/ or contact Kathy Kendrix,
Worship in Pink program planner,
at WorshipinPink@komenoregon.
org or at 503-735-1475.
Jefferson Rebuild Proposed
C ontinued froM P age 3
and finalize master planning and
design of Cleveland High School
and Wilson High School.
In addition, the bond would
pay for new instructional mate-
rials and critical technology up-
grades, including devices such
as laptops, tablets and assistive
technology that support both
distance and classroom learn-
ing. The proposal includes $33.8
million for improved accessibil-
ity for students, staff and other
people with disabilities; repairs
or replacement of outdated roofs
and mechanical systems; and
improved seismic safety and
school security systems.
The plans for a Center for
Black Student Excellence were
developed in conjunction with
the Albina Vision Trust, a grass-
roots effort to rebuild a Black
and diverse community near the
Rose Quarter that was displaced
by decades of Urban Renewal.
In 2012 and 2017, voters in
the Portland School District ap-
proved capital bonds that fund-
ed improvements to other public
schools, including rebuilding
Roosevelt, Madison, Grant, Lin-
coln, Benson and Franklin High
schools, Faubion Elementary
and Kellogg Middle School.
Over the past eight years, the
Portland Public Schools bond
program has also addressed in-
frastructure needs at district
schools throughout the district,
including replacing plumbing to
reduce lead, removing or encap-
sulating exposed lead paint and
asbestos and upgrades to fire
alarm and sprinkler systems.
For more information about
the 2020 School Renewal Bond,
visit pps.net/2020bondrenewal.