Houston, TX, [September 19, 2018] – Ask a cancer survivor about their five-year checkup and they are likely to say that a clean bill of health is a chance to optimistically take a breath. In much the same way, The Rose is celebrating five years of focusing on the breast health of African-American women on Sunday, October 7, 2018 at The Ensemble Theater from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., through their signature event The Rose Takes Center Stage, which sheds a light on the disproportionate fatalities and diagnoses African American women experience with breast cancer. Though vigilance is still needed, it is cause for celebration.
The Rose will once again buy “out the house” of the Ensemble Theatre for an afternoon of entertainment, refreshments, great door prizes plus a chance to impact the lives of women. A reception at 1:00 p.m. will precede an exclusive showing and regional premiere of Da Kink in My Hair promptly at 3:00 p.m. This humorous and poignant play is set in a Caribbean hair salon and is told with drumming, singing and dance as it explores the stories of eight African-American women.
“After five years, we’ve seen more African-American women coming to The Rose for their breast health needs, but the numbers for breast cancer among this demographic are still critical,” said event Co-Founder Chris Noble, Director of Corporate and Business Relations at The Rose.
Four years ago, Noble and entrepreneur and philanthropist, Kim Roxie, joined forces to create an event that would increase mammograms among African American women and drive home the appalling message of their higher death rate from breast cancer. To date, the event has raised over $150,000. While Roxie can take great pride in helping to secure mammograms for so many women, she is compelled to do more because of her own personal connection to cancer. She is grateful to the mobile services of The Rose that identified her mother’s cancer and gave Roxie more time with her before she passed away.
“I know the toll that breast cancer takes on a family,” Roxie explained. “My mother suffered from breast cancer and my hope is to honor her legacy while raising awareness about this disease that takes too many lives each year.”
National studies show that African American women are 45 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than Caucasian women. Oftentimes it is either fear of a breast cancer diagnosis or not knowing where to go for help that keeps African American women from annual mammograms. In Houston, that rate is even higher, spiking to 60 percent. Awareness and access to mammography are keys to reducing these alarming statistics and the reasons behind the annual The Rose Takes Center Stage event.
To spotlight African American breast health even further, Noble and Roxie, invited Dr. Jonita Wallace Reynolds, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Coast Community Services Association, to serve as the event’s first-ever honorary chair. The Gulf Coast Community Services Association, Inc. engages partners and forges strategic alliances to educate, equip and empower individuals and families in their pursuit of economic independence.
Reynolds not only holds the leadership role at the state’s largest community action agency with an annual operating budget of $30 million, she is also a mother of three. Unfortunately, she is all too aware of the impact of the disease. She is currently undergoing treatment for her own breast cancer.
This year, Noble and Roxie are joined by host committee members Ashley Turner, Executive Director, Community Relations at Lone Star College; Cheryl Turner, Essential Foundation Consultant; Zawadi Bryant of NightLight Pediatrics Urgent Care; Yemi Sholotan, CEO/COO of Havilah Concepts; Carl Davis, Senior Community Liaison with the City of Houston; and Chivron Hymes of LyondellBasell.
2018 sponsors and other supporters include MD Anderson, Houston Methodist, Dee Coleman State Farm, NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care, Fox Whole Family Foundation and Janine Moore of Peak Financial. As part of the fifth anniversary, special recognitions are planned for the entities that have been with the event since the beginning including Eileen Campbell, a board member of The Rose, who supported the event each year and even after her death as her contribution this year has been underwritten.
Ticket and sponsorship information is available at https://www.therose.org/event/the-rose-takes-center-stage/. Email events@therose.org for more information. The Ensemble Theatre is located at 3535 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002.
