Organizers for the Think Pink Breast Cancer Awareness program put on by the King’s Daughters Medical Center Foundation say the 300 allotted tickets for the event have long been snatched up, attesting to the interest in and support for the Think Pink program’s mission and goals.

“We gave those tickets out within a couple of days,” said the chief development officer for the hospital, Johnny Rainer. “But we still want to promote breast cancer awareness.”

Though there are several risk factors associated with breast cancer, such as having family members with the disease, further research is needed to understand the disease. That’s what the ninth annual “Think Pink” luncheon sponsored by the KDMC foundation is all about – promoting awareness, early detection and treatment in the fight against cancer.

“The event is funded by the KDMC foundation,” Rainer said. “It’s one of several events the foundation does for the community.”

The event is being held from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct.1, in the Ministry Center of First United Methodist Church, 217 South Jackson St., downtown Brookhaven next to the Post Office.

Lunch will be provided, and KDMC will be giving away door prizes that include Think Pink T-shirts and free mammograms.

Rainer said the focus of the event is always on early detection.

“What we focus on is early detection,” he said. “The sooner you find out your health status, the sooner you can start treatment.”

Rainer said this year they will be giving away a few free mammograms at the event, but it isn’t too late for others to get a free mammogram, also.

“Through the Susan G. Komen Foundation there is an application process for women who are under-insured, or who have no insurance at all, to get a free exam,” Rainer explained. He said there is also a link to this application process on the KDMC website.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the U.S., and it does not discriminate among racial or ethnic groups. Women in the U.S. have a one in eight chance of having breast cancer in their lifetime.

The best way to survive breast cancer is early detection and prevention. The speakers at the Think Pink event will talk about exams and surgical procedures that can save lives.

Special speakers will be KDMC physicians, Dr. Michael Peavey of Brookhaven Surgery Clinic, who is a breast surgeon specialist, and oncologist Dr. Justin Baker of Jackson Oncology Associates. Both physicians will speak on prevention and treatments special to their fields.

News co-anchor and humanitarian Maggie Wade of WLBT-TV in Jackson will be the keynote speaker for the event.

Visit www.kdmc.org or www.komencentralms.org to learn about getting a free mammogram.