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20th Annual 'Heroes of Breast Cancer Awards' Honors Survivors, Urges Early Detection

DETROIT (WWJ) -- With October marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Karmanos Cancer Institute hosted its 20th Annual "Heroes of Breast Cancer Awards" reception Monday night in Detroit.

Among those who was honored was Maureen Keenan Meldrum -- Director of Breast Cancer Special Programs at the Karmanos Cancer Institute -- who is a 24-year breast cancer survivor.

"A year after my diagnosis, my sister -- 10 years younger -- was diagnosed, who is also now well," Meldrum said. "Then it started hitting me that maybe if I was going to work 70 hour weeks, I would work for something that mattered to me. I was fortunate enough to be hired by Karmanos Cancer Institute."

About 1-in-8 women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime and during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women are being urged to be aware of the risks.

"Women should be getting their mammograms, they should know their personal risk and seeing their doctors every year," Meldrum said. "If something doesn't seem right, then they should get that checked right away."

Meldrum said the good news is that the survival rates from breast cancer continue to improve.

We are proud to acknowledge that WWJ Newsradio 950 -- and our CBS cluster of stations here in Detroit -- was also among the honorees.

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