Local breast cancer survivors receive a gift

Hattiesburg, MS - Local breast cancer survivors and artists from around the nation get the chance to meet each other.

The Breast Cancer Awareness Team (BCAT) was organized to implement breast cancer awareness activities in the Pine Belt region. The BCAT and artists from various states teamed up to award stained glass panels to Pine Belt residents celebration their first year of survivorship.

Project Coordinator Dee Tatum says, "This gives us an opportunity to actually see a patient receive something that lets htem know other people care about what's going on. That other people, total strangers are about what's happening to you. We are wishing you well and that we are hoping for the best for you."

One of the breast cancer survivors, Melissa Ladner gave a word of advice to women who are faced with the news of breast cancer, "Stay strong, have faith, there's hope."

Due to confidentiality laws, artists cannot know the information of the patient they are painting stained glass panels for, they only know a number. The Flowers of Hope event serves as a way for the patient and artist to meet each other in person.