The Tribune

When women come together to share a life-saving experience while celebrating each other, it makes for a bubbly exchange of laughter, stories and memorable moments.

Last Friday afternoon was a day for more than 20 women to hang out with each other as they all underwent mammograms during a special ‘Champagne Toast to the Ta-Tas’ event.

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr Tracy Roberts-Halkitis, a medical oncologist, decided to host a “Champagne Mammoparty” with friends and colleagues at Dr Elizabeth Darville’s Fourth Terrace Diagnostic Centre.

Dr Roberts-Halkitis said she initiated the idea because she wanted to “dispel myths, fears and misconceptions about mammograms and continue to save lives.”

As a huge advocate of being proactive about breast cancer and women’s health in general, Dr Roberts-Halkitis said she feels that “many of us wait before taking the precautions of checking our breasts by having a mammogram.”

She wants to ensure women take action sooner rather than later as breast cancer is so prevalent in the Bahamas.

For some of the women who attended it was the first time undergoing a mammogram.

The fear and discomfort regarding the procedure makes many women delay having it done.

Having a group of positive, like-minded women do it together was an encouraging experience, said Dr Roberts-Halkitis.

It also made them realise that many of the women, if not all, knew someone – either a family member, friend or colleague – who had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Dr Darville and her staff said they were thrilled with the event’s turnout.

A staff member asked: “Wow, how do you all know each other and how can you be so relaxed and open about so many things?”

One of the women in attendance answered: “It’s because we all have something we can share and something we can learn from every experience.”

The staff witnessed the camaraderie between the women as they shared life experiences and exchanged ideas with one another.

The champagne flowed all afternoon and the guests nibbled on a variety of finger foods sponsored by Roche Pharmaceuticals.