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News Release 
Contact: Leslie Raabe, 443 534 5803, <a href="mailto:lraabe@pcrm.org" target="_blank">lraabe@pcrm.org</a>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | September 11, 2026
 
Cancer Prevention Advocates, Health Practitioners, and Drummers Rally in Gig Harbor to “Beat” Breast Cancer
 
GIG HARBOR, Wash. — Breast cancer prevention advocates, medical providers, nutrition experts, and community members will gather for the Let’s Beat Breast Cancer rally from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Uptown Shopping Center Pavilion at <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/4701+Point+Fosdick+Drive?entry=gmail&amp;source=g" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">4701 Point Fosdick Drive</a> in Gig Harbor. They will be joined by Gig Harbor Councilmember Julie Martin, registered dietitian Stephanie McBurnett, RD, and Dr. Claire Buchanan, a breast cancer surgeon at Fred Hutch in Seattle, who will speak about breast cancer prevention and health.

The event will also feature drumming and music from the Seattle Seahawks Blue Thunder Drumline and local musician Yousef Shami and his students, who will help the assembled group “beat” (the drums for) breast cancer prevention. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“There is tremendous power in the choices we make every day, including what we eat, how much we exercise, how much alcohol we consume, and maintaining a healthy weight,” said Mary Anne Kiel, MD, of Gig Harbor, a pediatrician and lifestyle medicine physician and rally organizer. “Prevention through screening is important, as well as treatment and support options. Our rally strives to get further upstream to lower one’s risk by using a scientifically based four-pronged approach.”

Led by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a health advocacy nonprofit of 17,000 doctors, free <a href="https://www.pcrm.org/letsbeatbreastcancer/rallies" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Let’s Beat Breast Cancer events</a> are held in dozens of locations around the world throughout September and October. The Physicians Committee encourages people to reduce breast cancer risk by following a research-backed four-pronged approach:
<ul><li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20937636/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Eat a whole food, plant-based diet</a>.</li><li><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25467785/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Exercise regularly</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.pcrm.org/news/health-nutrition/even-modest-drinking-increases-breast-cancer-risk" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Limit alcohol</a>.</li><li><a href="https://pinklotus.com/powerup/resources/bmicalculator/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Maintain a healthy weight</a>.</li></ul>

According to the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2026/2026-cancer-facts-and-figures.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">American Cancer Society</a>, an estimated 7,710 women in Washington will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2026, and 960 women are expected to die from the disease. Nationwide, approximately one in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during her lifetime.

The City of Gig Harbor and the Gig Harbor Police Department will debut a pink-wrapped patrol car at the rally, highlighting the department’s upcoming Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign, which begins in October.
Before the rally, a rolling float will travel throughout the shopping plaza, distributing educational materials and generating excitement about the event. Community organizations will also host information tables, including a local health care facility, a local Building Healthy Community organization, and a book library where attendees can browse books and cookbooks focused on plant-based health.
Attendees will also have opportunities to win several prizes. Moctezuma’s, a local restaurant, has donated a $100 gift certificate that will be raffled off to highlight the plant-based meal options available on its menu. Eight additional gift bags will be raffled off, each containing a copy of Kristi Funk’s Breasts: The Owner’s Manual, PlantStrong pink berry granola, and other health-focused goodies.

“Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, yet many people do not receive enough information about the role lifestyle can play in reducing their risk,” said Stephanie McBurnett, RD, a registered dietitian with the Physicians Committee. “We want people to leave this rally knowing that there are meaningful steps they can take every day to support their health.”

Venus Williams Lends Voice to Let’s Beat Breast Cancer

“Beat breast cancer before it even comes for you,” says seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in a <a href="https://pcrm.widen.net/s/5pzjqsdzpg/venus-williams-psa" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">30-second public service announcement (PSA)</a> for <a href="https://www.pcrm.org/letsbeatbreastcancer" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Let’s Beat Breast Cancer</a>. It will air in dozens of AMC Theatres this fall. “I’m managing my own autoimmune disease by eating plants,” Williams says. “You can get more than enough protein from tofu, beans, and plants.”

For more information about the Let’s Beat Breast Cancer campaign and breast cancer prevention, visit <a href="https://www.letsbeatbreastcancer.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">LetsBeatBreastCancer.org</a>.

Note to reporters: B-roll available: <a href="https://pcrm.widen.net/s/nzmlnhnn5f/what-is-lbbc-06112026" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">What-is-LBBC-06112026.mp4</a>
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Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization of 17,000 physicians who promote preventive medicine, conduct clinical research, and encourage higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.

Local Event: Let’s Beat Breast Cancer Rally

Let’s Beat Breast Cancer Rally

News Release 
Contact: Leslie Raabe, 443 534 5803, lraabe@pcrm.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | September 11, 2026
 
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