TYLER, Texas — The National Breast Cancer Foundation says one in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Additionally, every two minutes, on average, a woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the foundation.
To help in the ongoing fight against breast cancer, the Tyler Professional Firefighter Associations hosted their annual "Turn Tyler Pink" event Tuesday evening.
The event featured food and fun activities. However, there were also heartfelt stories of survival.
“I embrace, you know, the disease and trying to make sure to get the message out,“ breast cancer survivor Darlene Yanez said.
Yanez focused on the importance of women getting mammograms to check for breast cancer.
"It's just amazing, you know, that we can overcome,” Yanez said. “It wasn't a matter if I was going to get cancer, whatever. It was a matter of when, since we had so much family history.”
Even after she got the news that she was hit with "the big C," Yanez never fully realized the fight that was ahead of her.
“I actually went home and went 'Did I hear [the doctor] correctly?' I actually had to call the the pathologist back," Yanez recalled. "'Did you just tell me was positive?' And she said 'Yes, I did.'”
Yanez beat the disease and now one of her goals is to help others combat cancer by getting checked.
“Go for the mammograms," Yanez said. "Because, if you don't, a year can make a difference in your life.”
Battling three different types of cancer, including breast cancer, Charlotte Graves knows all too well what it means to hear the dreaded diagnosis.
“[In] 1994, I went to the doctor and I found a lot,” Graves said.
Fortunately, Graves survived it all and now provides women with encouragement and advice.
“The most important part is to examine and know your body,” Graves said.
If you're in Tyler and in need of a mammogram, visit The Ross Breast Center or the UT Health East Texas Breast Care Center. Mobile mammography units are also available. For the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances mobile mammography schedule, click here. For UT Health East Texas' schedule, click here.