For the second year in a row, Saint Mary’s Hospital joined landmarks worldwide on October 13 to light up for Metastatic Breast Cancer awareness.
Saint Mary's Hospital lights up for Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness.
The Saint Mary's facade was illuminated in teal, green and pink to honor the lives lost to metastatic breast cancer, while also shining hope for those still fighting. The light display was a collaboration with the non-profit METAvivor Research and Support Inc. Money raised for the campaign directly supports metastatic breast cancer research.
According to the National Cancer Institute, in metastatic breast cancer, “cancer cells have broken away from where they began and traveled through the lymphatic system or blood to form a tumor in another part of the body.” Metastatic breast tumors most commonly develop in the bones, lungs, brain or liver.
There is no cure for metastatic breast cancer, but more women are living longer with the disease. They are doing so by managing it as a chronic illness and monitoring the disease through focused treatment.
Although metastatic breast cancer symptoms vary from person to person, the National Breast Cancer Foundation recommends that people, specifically those who have been treated for breast cancer, watch for symptoms like:
- Pain in the bones
- Unexplained shortness of breath
- Headaches
- Difficulty with speech
- Vision changes and more
Saint Mary’s facade lights were an outward sign of solidarity with the metastatic breast cancer community, signifying hope, awareness and research. The global @lightupmbc @metavivor LIVE event brought powerful stories, music and momentum to fund critical Stage 4 breast cancer research. Saint Mary's and Trinity Health Of New England host breast cancer awareness events throughout the month and provide ongoing year-round support resources. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3KrkMsq.