February 4, 2021 is World Cancer Day, which was created to raise worldwide awareness and inspire action for a cancer-free future.
Cancer is a word no one wants to hear, but it's all too common in our lifetime.
According to the World Health Organization and the American Cancer Society, breast cancer has now surpassed lung cancer as the most common form of cancer around the world, accounting for 12% of cancer patients diagnosed every year.
“I was meeting survivors as young as 18 who had found out that they had breast cancer," said TaNeika Moultrie, who organizes the annual Killeen Breast Cancer 5k Walk. "One young lady, she was going through a routine sports physical to get into college. It was just quite alarming.”
“The numbers of those who passed away were staggering. Like it is mind blowing, because we need a cure for this,” said Julie Moser, executive director of Pink Warrior Angels and breast cancer survivor.
Seven years ago, Moser was diagnosed with breast cancer. She then founded Pink Warrior Angels to raise money for breast cancer patients in Central Texas.
“It’s not pink rainbows and unicorns. It’s holes inside of your body. It is your family helping you take a shower. It is trying to figure out how you are going to pay your bills," said Moser. "I am a very independent person and it drives my husband bonkers, but when you can't get out of bed, you can't get out of bed.”
In the fall, Moser found out her cancer had come back, but this has not stopped her and her mission to care for and encourage others who are also battling cancer.
“We give financial assistance every month depending on our donations that go back to helping other cancer survivors. We switched it to all cancers because our Central Texas area has a need for that,” she said.
“Yes, this is one of those uncontrollable diseases that we don’t have a cure for," said Moultrie. "But by golly, we need to keep pushing to make sure we find a cure for this because the people that are impacted deserve to live.”
According to the CDC, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and the second leading cause of cancer death globally.
Both Moser and Moultrie could not stress enough the importance of keeping up-to-date on checkups and to also remember to perform self-exam monthly, because the best way to stop breast cancer is by catching it early.
