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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- The White Plains Hospital kicked off breast cancer awareness month by unveiling a 22 foot replica of the pink ribbon synonymous with the fight against breast cancer and pink streaks painted alongside the yellow traffic markings on the hospital campus.
Jon Schandler, president and CEO of the hospital, said the pink ribbon will remain affixed to the Dickstein Cancer Treatment Center entrance to mark October as breast cancer awareness month.
"One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. This is a sobering statistic. That was created to remind us of the importance of this issue," Schandler said of the ribbon.
Una Hopkins, the director of the Dickstein center, said it was important to raise awareness about the benefits of regular mammograms and early detection of cancer that have helped 11 million survive cancer in the America and 32 million survive cancer worldwide.
"We're here to make sure that everyone has awareness that we have the treatment and the technology to help get you into that 32 million," said Hopkins.
Mayor Thomas Roach, who underwent cancer treatment at Dickstein, said he noticed no matter what kind of cancer patients were battling at the hospital, they all had a "strength" in common.
"We are so proud to have the White Plains Hospital in our city," said Roach. "The treatment you receive here is second to none."
The hospital then announced that Cynthia Peña had won a T-shirt design contest with an image that arranged pink ribbons into a large snowflake.
Peña, 52, a graphic designer from Yonkers, said the idea came to her when she was thinking of the changing weather.
"Just like snowflakes, woman are individual and unique, but when they bond together and work together to fight cancer, they become very strong," said Peña, who has family members battling cancer.
The "think pink" T-shirts will be sold in the hospital's gift shop, on the hospital website, and at the Westchester Mall on Oct. 15. All proceeds will go towards the Dickstein Cancer Treatment Center.
Will you do anything to mark breast cancer awareness month? Please join the conversation below.
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