Missouri Governor Mike Parson has ordered the State Capitol dome to shine pink tonight in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
The dome will light up pink at sunset tonightand remain lit until sunrise Saturday morning. The color pink commemorates those lost to breast cancer, breast cancer survivors, those battling the disease, and medical professionals and researchers.
Breast cancer accounts for one-third of all cancers diagnosed among women in Missouri and is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women behind lung cancer. Approximately one in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime.
On average, nearly 6,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year in Missouri women. The National Breast Cancer Foundation recognizes October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month each year to increase awareness of the disease and promote early detection through breast cancer screening.
In Missouri, the Show Me Healthy Women program offers free breast and cervical cancer screenings for Missouri women who meet age, income, and insurance guidelines.
