'Pink Sunday' Spreads Breast Cancer Awareness

By Jennifer Pierce, NEWS 9

EDMOND, Oklahoma -- Churches across the state celebrated Mother's Day by spreading a special message about breast cancer awareness, calling it "Pink Sunday."

"There is a purpose in our pink," Susan G. Komen Pink Ambassador Julie Zielinski said.

Zielinski is Pink Ambassador at Southern Hills Christian Church in Edmond. The color symbolizes breast cancer awareness and health. The women who wore pink at the special Mother's Day service have all been impacted by the disease in one way or another.

"My grandmother passed away when I was 25-years-old from breast cancer, and since then I realized I started looking into breast cancer and realized early detection can save your life," Zielinski said.

In fact, early detection could lead to a survival rate of over 90 percent. Ruth Harness hopes to beat the odds.

"I guess I was kind of prepared for it. Every time I go in for a mammogram I'm prepared for it," said Harness, who was diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks ago.

Thankfully it was caught early.

"We will do a lumpectomy, radiation and I should be as good as new," Harness said.

Pink Sunday was all about education and saving lives.

"It is one of those cancers that if it's caught in the early stages, they can survive," said cancer survivor Sharon Childers.

Sharon Childers is not a breast cancer survivor, but has battled and beat other types of cancers. She's thankful to be celebrating another Mother's Day.

"Hope. Hope. He offers promises everyday and that's God," Childers said. "God gives us hope. We have to enjoy life. In some ways, I have been given a gift that I can share with other people."

Seventy-four churches in 10 Oklahoma counties participated in Pink Sunday.