LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which  distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming.  (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

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Daily Sitka Sentinel

Cruise to Raise Hope, Funds to Fight Cancer

By SHANNON HAUGLAND

Sentinel Staff Writer

When it comes to breast cancer, early detection is the key to survival, say the organizers of Saturday’s Hope Floats Cruise and Chocolate Extravaganza Auction.

“We know that you can survive it – it’s not a death sentence,” said Ronda Anderson, radiology manager at Sitka Community Hospital.

“If it’s caught early and it’s small, there’s a 25-year survival rate,” said Amy Martens, radiology technologist.

Because of this, Martens, Anderson and other organizers of the annual event want to make sure the lack of insurance or money is not the reason for not getting regular screenings.

The 8th annual Hope Floats cruise is 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, departing from Crescent Harbor. The event is organized by Sitka Community Hospital’s radiology department, with the cruise donated by Allen Marine, and desserts for the auction made by volunteers. 

 

 

  Desserts are pictured during the Hope Floats Cruise and Chocolate Extravaganza Auction in 2014.  This year’s event is 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday.  (Photos Provided)  

 

The funds raised go to the Sitka Community Hospital Breast Health Scholarship Fund, set up to provide funds for uninsured or under-insured women for breast health. That could include covering costs for ultrasounds and screening or diagnostic mammograms, said Martens and Anderson. The fund can also pick up the costs that are not covered by an individual’s insurance or the Wisewoman program.

If a woman says she’s in need of help, the policy of the breast health scholarship fund is no questions asked.

“There’s no application, no disclosure; it’s just the doctor says you need it,” Martens said. “Maybe you’d be avoiding it otherwise. That happens many times. People have to make so many choices of what health care they’re going to get. ... Early detection is the key, so we don’t want people to put it off.”

“We don’t want people to neglect breast health because they can’t afford it,” Anderson added.

Martens and Anderson have fond memories of the first year they raised thousands of dollars to set up the breast health scholarship fund at Sitka Community Hospital.

“It was ‘Paint Your Nails Pink’ – it was very well received,” says Anderson, who recalls the volunteer manicurists, the lines of women out the door and the scent of nail polish that wafted through the building. 

While the nail-polishing turned out to be a one-time-only event, the success of it inspired the hospital chef Natalie Allen to get involved to help build the scholarship fund the following year.

“She approached us about Allen Marine donating a catamaran for a cruise to add to the fund,” Martens said of Natalie, whose family owns the boat building and tour company Allen Marine. “She said, ‘Would that help?’ I said yes!” 

Natalie and her mom Betty – who are both breast cancer survivors – worked together on securing a donated boat from Allen Marine for the event. Natalie offered to bake desserts for an auction.

The event was a success that year and for the next several years, allowing the radiology department to replenish the breast health fund every year. Martens and Anderson are proud of their department, which now boasts “low-dose” mammography equipment to reduce the amount of radiation exposure to patients.

“Radiation is cumulative over your lifetime – it doesn’t go away,” Martens said. “We recognize the importance of that.”

The cruise and dessert auction event raises between $8,000 and $15,000 a year, with most money raised from the dessert auction.

The two woman said the need for the fund doesn’t seem to be as great as in the past, with the expansion of health care insurance opportunities under Obamacare, but some costs still aren’t covered.

“Don’t hesitate if you need it,” Martens said. “If we run out we’ll raise more funds.”

Organizers said Sitka Fire Department Chief Dave Miller is not only the auctioneer on board but “the entertainment” as well. Like the first year of the cruise, Natalie Allen will be making desserts for auction.

“She makes amazing desserts,” Martens said. The event also includes goodie bags for all passengers (donated by White’s, Seasons and Russell’s), social time to connect with other Sitkans, and some wildlife viewing. Last year’s cruise included orca sightings.

The other purpose of the cruise is to raise awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The two put together a fact sheet using statistics from a few years ago, to inspire women to get screened regularly. The facts stated are:

– 1 out of 8 women develop breast cancer.

– 1.3 million new cases of breast cancer are found each year.

– 2.4 million breast cancer survivors are living in the U.S. today.

– under guidelines of screening starting at age 40 there has been a 30 percent drop in breast cancer deaths in women of all ages in the U.S.

– if a lump is less than a centimeter across, 99 percent of patients will survive at least 25 years, no matter what the grade is of cancer. On average, patients who perform monthly self-exams will not feel a lump until it is a half-inch or more. If the patient never preforms a self-exam or has a mammogram it will be typically 2 inches before it is discovered.

– 50 percent of breast cancer deaths happen in women diagnosed before age 50. “Largely due to the fact they are not getting diagnosed or treated at early stages, this age group typically has the more aggressive types of breast cancer,” the fact sheet said.

 

Tickets are $40 for the three-hour cruise, and are available at the Sitka Community Hospital radiology department. Martens and Anderson also encouraged those interested to show up at the dock, because sometimes tickets are still available.

 

 

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.

50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.

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