NYC Health + Hospitals Kings County held its annual breast cancer walk and celebration Wednesday morning to raise awareness for the disease that impacts 1 in 8 women.
The hospital has been holding the event for three years now. The event started after the hospital opened its Comprehensive Breast Center, with a goal to provide top-of-the-line treatment to Brooklyn residents without them having to travel to other places like Manhattan.
Staff members and survivors walked outside of the hospital before heading inside to hear from guest speakers, including survivors.
"It's very important to remember that breast cancer is something that impacts 1 in 8 women, 12% of women. That's a lot of women out there, and so it's important for us to keep breast cancer in the conversation and to keep it in the forefront of our minds," said Dr. Jaime Alberty, director of the Comprehensive Breast Center.
One of the guest speakers was Mary Soogrim, a survivor from Brooklyn who was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of last year. After undergoing radiation and multiple surgeries, she is officially cancer-free.
"The patients get to come out and interact with each other, so to me it's a good thing. It's like a family," Soogrim said.
She credits her recovery to the hospital's care.