About Kentucky 04.30.2010 - Celebration of hope

This is First Lady Jane Beshear ... About Kentucky. Every year 2,800 to 3,200 women are diagnosed with breast cancer, making it the second leading cause of death for women in Kentucky. Since the beginning of my time as First Lady, I've been committed to tackling this disease head on through a variety of initiatives including Horses and Hope, the Kentucky Oaks “Pink Out” Day and the continuation of the annual Celebration of Hope luncheon honoring breast cancer survivors. The luncheon was initiated by former First Lady Judi Patton and has since developed into a celebration of survivorship as well as an opportunity to educate Kentucky’s women about breast cancer awareness. The 2010 Celebration of Hope honoring breast cancer survivors will be held on Monday, May 3 at the Frankfort Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern time. This year, I am thrilled to welcome actress and cancer survivor Fran Drescher as our keynote speaker for the luncheon. Ms. Drescher is best known for playing the charming Fran Fine in the hit television show The Nanny. After two years of symptoms and repeated misdiagnosis, in 2000 Ms. Drescher was treated for uterine cancer. Her difficult struggle against this disease led her to author the book Cancer Schmancer and launch a national awareness campaign sharing the same name. She remains devoted to empowering women and raising awareness about breast and gynecological cancer. Ms. Drescher’s commitment to turning her own personal hardship into help for others is inspiring. Her bold, creative approach to educating women across the country about cancer prevention and detection carries her signature sense of fearlessness. I am honored to have her play a part in honoring Kentucky’s breast cancer survivors. In addition to the luncheon, the Governor’s Mansion and Capitol Rotunda are open to all attendees for tours. Downtown Frankfort will shuttle guests from the Frankfort Convention Center to the mansion and back. This year, the City of Frankfort is also going “pink” in honor of the cancer survivor celebration. Downtown Frankfort businesses will be decorating their window displays pink and offering discounts for shoppers. A variety of vendors will also be on hand at the luncheon. For more information about the Celebration of Hope and to sign up to attend, visit firstlady.ky.gov/celebrationofhope. As always, the luncheon is free for all breast cancer survivors. I hope to see you there as we celebrate the resilience and strength of Kentucky’s breast cancer survivors. This is First Lady Jane Beshear ... About Kentucky.