BUCKHANNON – Regular mammograms and early detection are the best ways to combat breast cancer.

The Upshur County Commission proclaimed the month of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Oct. 2 as Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

The proclamation urged everyone to stay up-to-date with their regular mammograms. There will also be a luncheon/ceremony at Stockert Youth and Community Center on Oct. 2 at noon.

The proclamation, approved by the commission, appears in full below:

In 2023, an estimated 1,470 West Virginia women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 290 women will die from the disease. Breast cancer continues to be a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among W.Va. women. A woman has about a 1 in 8 (13%) chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime and about a 1 in 39 (3%) chance of dying from the disease.

Currently, the best method to reduce deaths due to breast cancer is through early detection of the disease. Women aged 50 and older should have a mammogram every year. Women ages 40 to 49 should talk with their health care provider about their screening schedule.

Mammograms can save lives. Women should talk to their health care provider about their individual screening schedule.

In recognition of the important lifesaving early detection practices available for breast cancer, we the Commissioners of Upshur County, do hereby proclaim Oct. 2, 2023, as West Virginia Breast Cancer Awareness Day and October 2023 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We urge all Upshur County women to become aware that they are at risk for developing breast cancer and to discuss screening with their health care providers.

In other Upshur County news, commissioners took the following actions:

• The commission approved and signed the 2023-2024 school year Prevention Resource Officer Agreement by and between the Upshur County Board of Education, Upshur County Commission and Upshur County Sheriff’s Office for the Prevention Resource Officer located at Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School.  

• The commission approved an electronic application submission for Justice Assistance Grant Program funds offered through the Justice and Community Services Section of the West Virginia Division of Administrative Services. This application is made possible through the ongoing partnership with the Upshur County Board of Education. If awarded, this funding would be utilized to support the position of the Prevention Resource Officer at the Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School for period beginning Oct. 1, 2023, and ending Sept. 30, 2024. 

• The commission approved and signed a Federal Aviation Administration Outlay Report and Request for Reimbursement for Construction Programs – Request No. 2 – in the amount of $14,994.27 for an Airport Improvement Program Project at the Upshur County Regional Airport.

• The commission approved and signed a Resolution of Participation for the West Virginia Certified Development Community Program for the Upshur County Development Authority.        

• The commission approved and signed a 2023 WV Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority Application for Funding Assistance in the amount of $70,280. The maximum grant award is $100,000 with a 20% match. The project consists of removing and replacing worn stair treads on the rear staircase in the main Courthouse, painting the stair stringers, risers/railings and installing pipe handrails along the walls.

• The commission approved correspondence from Brandon Tenney, Assistant Director of the Upshur County Development Authority, requesting the appointment of the below individuals to the UCDA Board of Directors. Upon approval, these terms will begin immediately and expire on June 30, 2026. Rebecca Bowers-Call on behalf of the Fred W. Eberle Technical Center and Trish Collett on behalf of Community Care of W.Va.

• The commission approved Upshur County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management volunteers: Floyd Tenney, Robyn Simons, David Rowan and Twila Moreland.