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A small city can change big outcomes when information, care, and community line up. We sit down with Candy Bertaina and Kathy Mittleider from Links for Life, Kings County, to explore how a volunteer-led nonprofit funds the crucial first step in breast cancer care: diagnosis. From the origins of their work to the powerful reach of the Pink Passion Picnic, we unpack the stopgap they provide before state programs kick in, why early mammograms, ultrasounds, and biopsies matter, and how local partnerships with providers turn donations into faster answers for people with symptoms.
The conversation doesn’t shy away from the human side. Candy shares what it feels like to find a lump, wait for a biopsy, and carry that memory years later—and why empathy at health fairs breaks stigma and opens the door for honest questions. We get into the numbers—one in eight women, men included at one percent, younger patients increasingly stepping forward—and the practical shifts in access, including insurance changes that cover symptom-based testing before forty. Along the way, we spotlight technology improvements in mammography and biopsy techniques, plus the wraparound care at regional cancer centers that blend treatment with social work, nutrition, and support groups.
We also bring you up to speed on Hanford’s October heartbeat: Hanford Christmas parade, civic updates, Health and Wellness Night at Thursday Night Marketplace, Oktoberfest, and the Carnegie Museum gala—all the places where neighbors plug in. Then it’s over to sports with Eric Bentley for a high-scoring Hanford High football showcase, gritty league play in volleyball, and solid starts in water polo, with an open invite to share scores and story tips so we can feature more teams across the community.
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