Renee Steinkruger
Project Coordinator, 308.865.8177
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the University of Nebraska at Kearney has designated Oct. 10-14 as Breast Cancer Awareness Week on campus.
Renee’ Steinkruger, coordinator of the UNK Employee Health & Wellness Program, said that the goal of the week is to raise awareness of how important it is for women and men to get regular screenings and checkups.
The UNK Employee Health & Wellness Program is partnering with the Mid-Nebraska Community Action Partnership to host a breast cancer awareness presentation Wednesday, Oct. 12, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Nebraskan Student Union Cedar Room.
Lunch is $2 for UNK faculty, staff and students; $4 for the general public. To make luncheon reservations, contact Steinkruger at 308.865.8177.
Every Woman Matters is a Nebraska program for the early detection of breast and cervical cancer. Established in 1990, this program helps more than 130 women every week to obtain low-cost or free screenings for breast and cervical cancer. Eligibility for the program is determined by age, income and health insurance coverage.
Bobbi Gerdes, a representative from the Kearney chapter of Every Woman Matters, will give the presentation. The focus of the presentation will be to inform women about breast cancer, and their options in preventing and dealing with it.
She will cover some myths and facts about breast cancer, share current statistics on the national level, as well as within Nebraska, about breast cancer and give a brief background on Every Woman Matters and who qualifies for assistance.
“My main goal is to make people aware of Every Woman Matters, its goals and how it can help women with their breast cancer concerns,” Gerdes said.
Steinkruger said that in addition to hosting this event, the Wellness Program will again be involved in the Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives campaign. In this program, individuals collect the pink Yoplait yogurt lids to raise money for breast cancer research. For every lid turned in, Yoplait will donate 10 cents to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation’s “Race for the Cure.”
There will be collection boxes available for the clean lids in the Nebraskan Student Union UNK Card Office, at the Human Resources office in Founders Hall and at the Control Desk in Cushing Coliseum. Lids can also be sent to Steinkruger in the UNK Human Performance Lab via campus mail, for UNK faculty, staff and students.
In 2004, UNK helped to contribute $75 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation with the “Save Lids to Save Lives” campaign. The goal for this year is to increase the total by $25 to raise $100 for the campaign.
The Employee Wellness Program will also have free Breast Cancer Awareness Packets for all UNK faculty, staff, and their immediate family members. These kits will include a Steps to Breast Self-Examination Shower Guide (waterproof), information about risks, prevention, detection and myths of breast cancer, as well as information about the major medical services in the University of Nebraska Medical Plan related to women’s health and more.
Individuals can visit www.unk.edu/wellness to receive a kit. Individuals who receive a kit will have their names put into a drawing for prizes. Men are also encouraged to order kits for themselves, wives, daughters or other family members.
