The Muscogee Nation

Tag: Pink Party

  • Muscogee (Creek) Nation celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month

    For Immediate Release

    Oct. 30, 2019

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month

    Survivors discuss experiences dealing with disease

    GLENPOOL, Oklahoma —

    I got this feeling inside my bones
    It goes electric, wavy when I turn it on
    All through my city, all through my home
    We’re flying up, no ceiling, when we’re in our zone

    The lyrics to Justin Timberlake’s hit song, ‘Can’t stop the feeling,’ blared through the speakers at the 17th annual Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health Pink Party.

    Accompanying the song was a dance video involving Muscogee (Creek) employees and youth throughout the jurisdiction.

    Employees, citizens and above all, survivors of cancer filled the event center for this year’s celebration.

    MCN Secretary of Health Shawn Terry welcomed everyone to the party and recognized the many survivors that participated.

    “It is such a celebration in who we get to honor,” he said. “More and more people want to become a part of this [Pink Party] and get more knowledge and awareness on breast cancer.”

    Terry said Native American women have some of the highest rates in getting breast cancer and the event has helped with recognizing the women and men that have faced this type of cancer.

    “We have done such an amazing job in honoring the survivors,” Terry said. “When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it’s not only affecting that person. It affects their family.”
    MCN Principal Chief James Floyd spoke to the audience about the importance of having the Pink Party and why it is necessary for the awareness of breast cancer.

    “It tells me the people here at the Pink Party are interested in learning how to recognize breast cancer and the steps they should do if they have a concern,” Floyd said.

    According to breastcancer.org, about 1 in 8 U.S. women, roughly 12 percent, will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

    This year, an estimated 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 62,930 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.

    Doctors representing the Saint Francis Oncology and Breast Cancer Group in Tulsa, Okla., were keynote speakers for the Pink Party. They spoke to the audience on how they team up to help patients who are combating breast cancer.

    “No two cancer cases are the same,” Oncologist Dr. Fuad Hassany said. “Each breast cancer is different.”

    Muscogee (Creek) citizen and butterfly whisperer, Virginia Williams was there and served as moderator for a panel of survivors who spoke about their breast cancer experiences.

    “One of the things that bothered me when I found out I had breast cancer was not being in control,” breast cancer survivor Sandra Lambert said. “I wanted it gone (breast cancer). It was a process and I like things to happen quickly. Having to depend on others was hard for me.”

    Floyd had one last thing to say to the survivors at the Pink Party.

    “I want to thank you for being here today at the Pink Party,” he said. “You are beacons in your family and the communities. You represent strength and we need that.”

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  • MCN Holds 16th Annual Pink Party, Brings Awareness to Breast Cancer

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Oct. 31, 2018

    Muscogee (Creek) Nation Holds 16th Annual Pink Party, Brings Awareness to Breast Cancer

    GLENPOOL, Okla. – The 16th Annual Muscogee (Creek) Nation Pink Party was held at the Glenpool Convention Center Oct. 30 to bring awareness to breast cancer while honoring those who have lost their battle and sharing the stories of survival.

    Every October, as part of the national recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the MCN Department of Health partners with other tribal departments invite survivors and keynote speakers to share their stories and knowledge of breast cancer and informative booths set up as part of the Health Fair.

    MCN Principal Chief James R. Floyd and Second Chief Louis Hicks were among the Nation’s dignitaries and citizens joined together to recognize those who have been impacted by breast cancer in all capacities and discuss the latest treatment and prevention.

    Floyd expressed to the nearly 600 in attendance the importance of the ceremony and the significant impact it has on the Nation.

    “It’s a day that we should celebrate because we are all survivors as you know,” Floyd said. “We’ve all gone through a lot, whether we’ve had cancer ourselves or had family members who’ve survived and those who didn’t. We should honor and respect them and be happy for them because they are in our lives. It’s a day to celebrate for them.”

    Attendees also enjoyed lunch, door prizes, Mvskoke hymns by Native Praise and the success story from Muscogee (Creek) citizen and breast cancer survivor, Georgia Harjo.

    Harjo shared her story and thanked the MCN healthcare system for the medical care she received throughout her battle.

    Harjo was later presented with a Pendleton from Floyd and Hicks on behalf of the Nation.

    The keynote speaker was, Laurie Flynn, the surgical director of Let’s M. Chapman Breast Center at the Peggy V. Helmerich Women’s Health Center. She discussed the risk factors and statistics associated with the cancer.

    According to a statistic Flynn shared from Cancer Treatment Centers of America, “One in eight women will develop invalid breast danger during her lifetime.”

    “I want to give you some information that you can take back with you to empower yourselves and empower your family,” Flynn said. “Today, I am going to provide you with information that can be encouraging and that we can all use together.”

    Flynn discussed measures women can take to reduce their risk of breast cancer by modifying day-to-day activities such as exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and limiting alcohol consumption and animal fat in the diet.

    Flynn said the number one risk factor is being a woman followed by aging, which also increases the risk of developing breast cancer.

    This year’s event also presented a video compilation of the popular “Cupid’s Shuffle” song and dance performed by the staff from the MCN National Council, Executive Branch, DOH clinics and hospitals throughout the Nation’s jurisdiction.

    The ceremony closed with songs from Native Praise and a closing prayer from Ashley Pendley of Crosstown Church.

    For information on the medical services MCN DOH provides, visit www.CreekHealth.org.

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