Seattle – Sharing a mission to improve healthcare for underserved populations, Qualis Health and Cierra Sisters will join forces for the 5th Annual Block Walk & Community Wellness Festival, an event designed to increase breast cancer awareness among African-American women. The event will take place at the Rainier Community Center (4600 38th Ave. S.) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 25.
“Cancer studies clearly demonstrate that African-American women are much more likely to die from breast cancer than Caucasian women because they often discover the disease at a later stage,” said Les Barnette, Jr., MD, Qualis Health medical director for Healthcare Improvement in Washington. “We are dedicated to advancing the quality of healthcare in Washington, which includes supporting Cierra Sisters’ mission of raising awareness about breast cancer.”
Breast cancer survivor Bridgette Richardson launched Cierra Sisters, Inc. and the Block Walk in 1998 after her own improper diagnosis inspired her to take action. The nonprofit’s mission is to increase knowledge concerning breast cancer in the African-American and underserved communities.
“The best defense against breast cancer is early detection,” said Richardson. “Block Walk is designed to provide education and information to empower African-American women to take charge of their own health,” said Richardson. “In addition to breast cancer education, our mission is to raise community awareness about many other relevant health issues, so we encourage everyone to attend the event and get involved.”
The all-day event starts with breast cancer survivors and other volunteers walking into surrounding neighborhoods, delivering health information packets provided by Qualis Health and encouraging people to participate in a community festival at the Rainier Community Center. There will be food, entertainment and a special keynote speaker – Swedish Medical Center’s Patricia Dawson, MD, PhD, winner of the 2005 Physician of the Year.
About Cierra Sisters, Inc.
Cierra Sisters is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit African-American support and survivors’ organization. Cierra Sisters is committed to increasing attention to the devastating impact of breast cancer in the African-American community. Cierra Sisters promotes the importance of education and advocacy through its outreach projects and organizational collaborations. Through its Each-One-Teach-One program, the organization provides group support and health education.
