Bras Along the Bridge returns to Vicksburg for breast cancer awareness
Published 10:24 am Friday, October 8, 2021
- People walk along the Old Highway 80 Bridge during the 2019 Bras Along the Bridge event sponsored by Riverwalk Casino and Hotel. The 2019 event, which supports the American Cancer Society, raised more than $12,000. (Courtland Wells/The Vicksburg Post)
After a year off due to the pandemic, the Bras Along the Bridge event is making a return for a good cause.
Riverwalk Casino Hotel in Vicksburg will collect bras throughout the month of October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For every bra collected, Riverwalk will donate one dollar to the American Cancer Society.
“Bras Along the Bridge is a great way to get the community engaged,” said Brock VanWye, Riverwalk’s Director of Marketing. “The fundraising process extends to our entire area. We truly appreciate the efforts of our community partners, such as Alpha Media Radio Group and WLBT-TV, plus the many other businesses that serve as bra drop-off locations.”
At the end of the month, Riverwalk Casino Team Members and members of the Vicksburg Bridge Commission will string the bras across the Old Vicksburg Bridge in support of breast cancer awareness. A Bra Viewing Walk and Check Presentation will be held on the Old Vicksburg Bridge on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 9 to 11 a.m. Community members are invited to walk across the bridge to see the bras over the Mississippi River. The check presentation will be held at 10 a.m.
“Because of the determination of Making Strides supporters such as Riverwalk, the American Cancer Society is there for people in every community affected by breast cancer, whether they’re currently dealing with a diagnosis, may face one in the future, or will avoid it altogether because of education and risk reduction,” said Jennifer Bennett, Executive Director. “Communities embrace a bittersweet mix of purpose — celebrating survivorship and paying meaningful tributes to loved ones lost. From research to education, prevention to diagnosis and treatment to recovery, we provide support to everyone impacted by breast cancer.”
In 2021, it is estimated that 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. women. About 43,600 women will die from breast cancer, making it the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Since the mid-1970s, the breast cancer survival rate has increased from 75 percent to 90 percent. Doctors suggest this is due to early detection and improved treatment options.