MNAs promote breast cancer screening to cultural communities

By Robert Frank
www.thesuburban.com

Chomedey MNA Guy Ouellette noticed that the word on how to detect breast cancer early, while it’s still treatable, wasn’t getting through to many non-francophone Laval women.

“Concertation-Femme de Montréal holds a breast cancer awareness-raising event in Montreal every year,” Ouellette’s political attaché Rémi Alwan told The Suburban. “Mr. Ouellette decided to join together with the other MNAs to help provide the finances needed to bring this event to Laval this year.”

“Many women don’t know how to get checked for breast cancer,” she explained. “The message was not reaching cultural communities. When they receive a letter from the local health authority reminding them to go for a mammogram, they often don’t know what it is about and throw it in the garbage.”

So the MNA’s helped to organize an event, together with the Carrefour d’intercultures de Laval, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., May 12, at the St. Joseph Community Centre.

The seminar included health tips that promote prevention.

“It’s about more than simply getting tested,” Alwan explained. “A healthy lifestyle will also help to prevent you from developing cancer.”

“We also set up a table where women could go and string their own bracelet that will help to remind them to go and get a mammogram,” Alwan added.

In addition to Ouellette, MNAs Gilles Ouimet (Fabre), Jean Rousselle (Vimont), and Jean Habel (Ste. Rose) attended the event, together with representatives on behalf of Saul Polo (Laval des Rapides) and Family Minister Francine Charbonneau (Mille Îles), who doubles as Quebec’s Minister for Laval.