A woman has about a one in eight chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime.

The president of Upshur County CEOS, Sharon Stackpole, attended the Oct. 2 Upshur County Commission meeting to ask the commission to proclaim October 2025 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Oct. 13, 2025, as West Virginia Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

“We only have three clubs now, where we used to have a bunch of them, but we’re all getting a little bit older, and everybody’s having trouble getting out anymore,” Stackpole said. “We have 57 members altogether, and in total, we have logged in 26,500 volunteer hours for this year, so according to the national average, that means we have saved people $921,935 for the year.”

Part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month’s aim is to stress the importance of early detection.

“Our theme this year is, ‘hit breast cancer out of the park,’ so we’re doing a baseball theme this year and we are meeting at the Episcopal Church on Oct. 13, and we’ll start registration at 11 a.m., we’ll have a light lunch at noon, and we’ll have Dr. Derry giving a presentation,” Stackpole said. “She’ll answer any questions anybody has about cancer and what they need to do, and we are just trying to promote getting your mammograms; everybody needs to be checked, because it’s not just women who get cancer.”

West Virginia Breast Cancer Awareness Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Month proclamation:

In 2025, 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 West Virginia 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 annually. Women ages 40-49 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 life-saving early detection practices available for breast cancer, we, the Commissioners of Upshur County, do hereby proclaim October 13, 2025, as West Virginia Breast Cancer Awareness Day and October 2025 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.