Cancer survivors gather to celebrate in Pink Dress

Friday, Oct. 31, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease.

In Utah many organizations and institutions design specific events to remind people about the importance of early detection and the prevention of cancer.

Comunidades Unidas, an organization that has the mission to empower Utah’s Latino community, celebrated the Pink Dress Fashion Show, in which the goal was to “raise support for breast cancer awareness and women’s health initiatives,” according to the flyer for the event.

“The Pink Dress is an event where local designers and community members unite for an evening of fashion, food, and entertainment,” said Luis Garza, Comunidades Unidas executive director.

This year four local designers – Virginia Fuentes, Indira Adame, Veronica Lopez and Marcia Ortega – displayed their designs on three separate runways: the Survivor Runaway, the local designer runaway, and the Pink Dress contest.

Lopez, one of the designers, is a Catholic from Salt Lake City; this was the fifth year that she participated in the event.

“I studied fashion design in a school back in Mexico,” said Lopez. “This is a way that I can contribute to raising awareness of breast cancer, and I like to be able to do it.”

At Comunidades Unidas many women have been helped through cancer treatments and mental and emotional support as well given guidance for financial assistance for needs that arise from the medical costs associated with fighting cancer.

Nancy, who asked that her last name not be used, is one of these women.

A parishioner of Sacred Heart Parish, Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer some years ago.

“I thought that my world came to an end,” said Nancy, who attended the fashion show. “I prayed and prayed and somehow I found out about Comunidades Unidas and I approached them.”

Despite her struggles, Nancy found comfort and care through the advocates at Comunidades Unidas and through a lot of prayer, she said.

Nancy is now cancer free but considers it very important that women help protect themselves through mammograms, which can detect breast cancer in its early stages.

“If you seek help you’ll find it. Never be afraid of what the future will be, and most of all, prevent [cancer] and check yourself. A mammogram can save your life,” said Nancy.

Funds that Comunidades Unidas collected at the fashion show will go towards free mammograms for women, Garza said. 

For information about the mammograms, call Vicky Fuentes, 801-487-4143, email vicky@cuutah.org or visit WWW.cuutah.org.