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Local breast cancer advocate participates in Breast Cancer Forum

Susan Nunn of Elba attended the 2012 Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Forum as a representative of Coffee County Family Services Center, after being awarded a scholarship from the Avon Foundation for Women.
This year’s forum took place March 21-23 in New York, N.Y., and focused on programs exploring overcoming racial disparities in breast cancer care and treatment, as well as, ensuring access to breast cancer early detection programs and treatment. At the forum, the Avon Foundation released a study that showed nearly five black women die needlessly per day from breast cancer in the United States – a total of 1,722 deaths annually.
Nunn was one of more than 275 community health educators, patient navigators, nurses and physicians from all 50 states that attended the forum. Collectively, the participants are part of a network of Avon Foundation-funded programs that have educated more than 11 million women and men about breast cancer and the importance of early detection, linked nearly 2.7 million women to mammography screening, and navigated thousands of breast cancer patients through treatment.
Having a family history of breast cancer and working with Coffee County Family Services Center as a social worker, Nunn has seen firsthand the difference that can be made in the lives of women. It continues to be the goal of the Coffee County Breast Cancer Awareness Program to provide education and information on early detection of breast cancer and community resources for assistance.
“Every day, I experience how breast cancer affects hundreds of families here in our community,” Nunn said. “It was an amazing opportunity to attend the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Forum to meet and learn from some of the nation’s leading breast cancer experts, so I can provide information and education on breast cancer awareness for this community that can help save lives.”