MERRILLVILLE | October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there is no better time for Northwest Indiana residents to become aware of the many ways they can make a difference in the fight against breast cancer.

To raise awareness as well as funds, the American Cancer Society is holding its 10th annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at 9 a.m. Saturday at Hidden Lake Park, 6355 Broadway.

As the country wrestles with how to improve health care in America during the 2008 election, the American Cancer Society's aggressive public awareness campaign, Access to Care, seeks to provide access to health care for all Americans, including those who are uninsured and underinsured.

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed type of cancer amongst women, and it is anticipated that 3,660 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed this year in Indiana alone, said Area Executive Director Sue Tracy of the American Cancer Society Great Lakes Division. "Yet, if detected early, breast cancer is 98 percent survivable. To develop breast cancer knowledge, the American Cancer Society provides programs and services to help women learn the risk factors, the warning signs, and the steps they can take to detect breast cancer early.

"Without making a conscious effort towards early detection, women are increasingly vulnerable. The American Cancer Society, in addition to funding breast cancer research, is committed to spreading awareness about breast cancer and the importance of annual mammograms," Tracy stressed.

Northwest Indiana community members can take a stand against breast cancer this year by encouraging women past the age of 40 to have an annual mammogram, use their voice to make cancer a number one priority with lawmakers or be a part of the Making Strides Against Breast cancer walk. Thousands of local residents will gather together to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer.

For more information, call (219) 793-1030 or visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline.

- The Times