Ocala, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Marion County recognizes October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and encourages our community to “Wear It Pink” on Friday, Oct. 21, to mark the occasion.

Over the past few years, Marion County’s rate of breast cancer diagnoses has generally aligned with the state average.

But data show that county’s death rate from breast cancer has jumped 71 percent in recent years, rising from 8.5 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2017 to 14.5 per 100,000 in 2020, the most recent year for which data is available.

For comparison, Florida’s statewide death rate was 9.8 per 100,000 in 2020.

The state Department of Health’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, or BCCEDP, advocates people don pink attire on Wear It Pink Day to help promote the need for more breast cancer awareness, education and research.

The program and the Department of Health in Marion County also cite Wear It Pink Day as a moment to urge women in our community to get a breast exam as part of an early-detection routine.

The Department recommends that all women aged 20 or older receive a yearly breast exam. If you are 40 or older, you are encouraged to get a yearly mammogram. Doing so could be a life-saving event.

For women who are uninsured or underinsured, the BCCEDP works to provide free or low-cost breast cancer screenings for qualified clients. If you do not qualify, the program can still help you find resources for screenings within Marion County.

To learn more about the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, call 800-226-6110 or visit VolusiaHealth.com/mammo.

About the Florida Department of Health

The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.