ARLINGTON, Texas — Arlington residents and healthcare organizations gathered at the Bob Duncan Center on Oct. 13 for the second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Health Fair.
The fair, hosted by City Council District 3 Rep. Nikkie Hunter, offered free mammograms, well-woman exams, flu shots and prostate screenings on-site.
The event also gave residents a chance to connect with local hospitals and public health groups that were distributing information about a wide variety of topics like diabetes, nutrition, first aid and car seat safety.
Marcia Valdez, a clinical liaison representing Kindred Healthcare at the fair, said that she was blown away by the number of people in attendance.
“Turnout has just been incredible,” Valdez said. “The line for mammograms must’ve been 25 deep already by the time I got here this morning, and within the first hour and a half I’ve already handed out 125 goody bags from our booth.”
Breast cancer survivors from across the Metroplex were also present at the fair, both as attendees and as representatives from organizations offering resources.
Breast cancer survivor and Arlington resident Sharon Wenze, who has been in remission for six years, took a moment during her visit to the health fair to share some words of wisdom.
“What I’ve learned is all you can do is keep moving forward, don’t move back. You can’t give up,” Wenze said. “I’ve kept moving forward, and now my oncologist is so proud of me. Just moving forward.”
That message of perseverance was echoed by Xavier Sanders, executive director of the nonprofit Barbara Cares. The organization was created to honor Sanders’ mother after she died from breast cancer in 2018. The bright pink boxing gloves Sanders held as he talked to fair attendees were symbolic, he said, of his mother’s motto to “fight, smile, and fight some more.”
Tiffany Pace, a representative from Medical City Arlington, was one of many to comment on the atmosphere of community support at the health fair.
“Survivors—they really stick together, and you can see it,” Pace said.
After the success of the health fair Friday, organizations are eager to return next year to continue promoting early breast cancer detection and providing access to community resources in Tarrant County.
Though the 2023 fair has just ended, for City Council Rep. Hunter, it seems that planning for next year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Health Fair has already begun. According to Hunter, residents can expect to see even more exciting changes as Arlington moves into the third year of the event.
