Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend In Georgia
Breast Cancer Awareness events kicked off on Friday evening, May 8, with a benefit ballet at the Paliashvili Opera and Ballet Theater. Before the performance, Mariella Tefft, as Chairman of the Friends of the Ballet, joined prima ballerina Nina Ananiashvili in highlighting the importance of early detection of breast cancer. On Saturday, Ambassador Tefft appeared on Imedi TV's primetime program "Journalist's Diary" and not only stressed the importance of early diagnosis but also shared his personal tragedy of losing his sister to breast cancer. The weekend's events concluded on Sunday, May 10, as hundreds of people gathered at Turtle Lake to participate in the Georgia Race for the Cure, an event dedicated to fighting breast cancer through greater awareness and early detection, part of the ‘Susan G. Komen for the Cure' international race series. Ambassador John Tefft was joined by Georgian First Lady, Sandra Roelofs, and other VIPs. Participants ran and walked around the lake and took part in the many side events for children and families. Race organizers included local and international NGOs, whose representatives handed out T-shirts and information materials on the necessity of being proactive about breast cancer. The incidence of breast cancer in Georgia is 52 per 100,000, which is higher than the average throughout Eastern Europe. More than 50% of women with breast cancer are diagnosed at late stages of the disease, which makes treatment less effective. The U.S. government promotes breast cancer screenings and other women's health issues through USAID's ‘Healthy Women in Georgia' program.