Noted Author Featured—

‘Pink Tea Social’ Supports Breast Cancer Awareness, Prevention

DANBURY — Former 20/20 producer and Lifetime Television’s director of corporate communications Geralyn Lucas, a breast cancer survivor, activist, and author of the best selling book Why I Wore Lipstick to my Mastectomy, will be the special guest speaker at the Danbury Fair Mall on Saturday, October 18, during Danbury Hospital’s first “Pink Tea Social” that takes place from 1 to 3 pm at the mall’s Center Court-lower level.

Hosted by the Danbury Fair and sponsored by the Community Cancer Collaborative, Star 99.9 FM and the Pitney Bowes Involvement Fund, the Pink Tea Social is being held in conjunction with Danbury Hospital’s annual two-day Health & Wellness Fair at the Danbury Fair (East Court-lower level) on Friday and Saturday, October 17 and 18 from noon to 8 pm.

The Health & Wellness Fair features two full days of education, screening, flu shots, and breast cancer awareness at the “Think Pink” booth where women can obtain information about local breast cancer programs and services, as well as schedule an appointment for a mammogram.

At the age of 27, and without a trace of family history, Ms Lucas was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, she is the author of a memoir that Publishers Weekly called “immensely empowering.” Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy was voted a top consumer health book of 2004 by Library Journal, which said the book “gives women a model of how to proceed even when they are scared to death” and the book was also picked as a best book of 2004 by Borders, which called the book “fearlessly candid, surprisingly funny, and altogether empowering.” This past summer, Ms Lucas celebrated 13 years of survivorship.

Ms Lucas was an editorial producer at ABS News’ 20/20 for seven years where her stories won many awards, including the Emmy. She has spent the last five years at Lifetime Television, first as director of original programming where she worked on biographies of a wide range of celebrities, including Elizabeth Taylor and First Lady Laura Bush. Ms Lucas then became a director of corporate communications at the network, where one of her projects is Lifetime’s initiative Stop Breast Cancer for Life. 

Her writing has appeared in Newsweek, Self and Mamm magazines, and she has appeared on the Today Show, The View, Prime Time Live, FOX News, and the CBS Early Show as a breast cancer activist.

She is an honors graduate from the Columbia University School of Journalism and the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania, and lives in New York City with her husband and two children.

Danbury Hospital’s “Think Pink”’ breast cancer community education and awareness program began in September 2007 with a dedicated program at a church located in Yorktown Heights, N.Y.

Local corporations are providing breast cancer awareness programs as part of their Lunch & Learn opportunities. Corporations that are offering “Think Pink” programs during Breast Cancer Awareness month include Cartus, Boehringer Ingleheim, and Goodrich in Danbury. Anyone interested in this type of program can call Barbara Coles at corporate health care at Danbury Hospital, 207-3300.

Danbury Hospital offers various “Think Pink” programs throughout the community. The program was developed to bring powerful pink thinking, sharing and action to convey awareness to the importance of regular screening for the early detection of breast cancer. Each program consists of a one-hour educational program and the hospital will provide fun “Think Pink” giveaways and even pink refreshments.

Danbury Hospital “Think Pink” program highlights, include:

*Update on Breast Cancer Screening

*Guidelines

*New technology

*What if I need further testing

*Breast Care Program

*Other cancer screenings

Scheduled events for Danbury Hospital “Think Pink” programs and information contacts in the greater Danbury area are:

October 14, TBICO, 39 Rose Street, Danbury at 1:30 pm; 203-743-6695.

October 15, the New Fairfield Senior Center, Route 39 at 11 am; 203-312-5665.

October 22, the Danbury Senior Center Elmwood Hall, Main Street (craft room) at 1 pm; 797-4686.

October 27, the Ridgefield Recreation Center, 195 Danbury Road, will present a lecture, “Mammography: Digital vs Film” as part of the “Think Pink” program; 203-431-2755.

October 28, the Butter Brook Hill Apartments in New Milford (Community Room) at 1:30 pm; 860-350-9713.

October 29, the Redding Senior Center, 37 Lonetown Road, Redding at 1 pm; 203-938-9703.

To schedule a “Think Pink” program, contact the Danbury Hospital marketing, public and government relations department at 739-7247.

For more information, visit the hospital’s website, www.danburyhospital.org.