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Good Morning America anchor to headline Emanuels cancer awareness event
cancer night out pic
Good Morning America news anchor Amy Robach will speak about her diagnosis of breast cancer at Emanuels Womens Cancer Awareness Night Out event on Oct. 16 - photo by Photo Contributed

Emanuel Medical Center’s Women’s Cancer Awareness Night Out will share the survival story of guest speaker “Good Morning America” news anchor Amy Robach for their annual October event.

Robach was diagnosed with breast cancer after getting a mammogram in New York City’s Times Square for a segment on Good Morning America. At 40 and with no cancer history in her family, Robach thought she was years away from needing to begin regular breast-cancer screenings, but got the test anyway at the urging of friend and Good Morning America colleague Robin Roberts, herself a cancer survivor.

Emanuel’s Women’s Cancer Awareness Night Out is set for Oct. 16 at Monte Vista Chapel in Turlock. Tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance, beginning at 6 a.m. Sept. 16. Tickets for the annual event are usually at capacity quickly, so early reservations are highly recommended.  The event will have a limit of two ticket reservations per person.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 16. Cancer survivors are invited to gather at 6:45 p.m. for the survivors’ procession at 7 p.m. that opens the program. After Robach’s speech, there will be a dessert reception at 8:30 p.m. held at Monte Vista Chapel, 1619 East Monte Vista Ave.

The event will also see the presentation of the Turlock Firefighter’s Local #2434 Pink Helmet Award. The award will be to be presented to someone whose life has been touched by cancer and who represents the characteristics of a firefighter— compassion, bravery, honesty, commitment and courage. The purpose of this award is to educate women about the life-saving importance of taking control of their own health to help with the early detection of breast, ovarian and cervical cancer.

“Our 2014 recipient was Jill Norman, a breast cancer survivor, cancer advocate, teacher, and triathlon champion from Turlock,” said Kevin Tidwell, TFD presenter at last year’s event.  “We had a very difficult time selecting just one, because the truth is, every one of the nominations exhibited the characteristics of courage, bravery, and commitment.”

Nominations for the Pink Helmet Award are currently being accepted.  Nominees must be residents of Stanislaus or Merced counties.  Nomination forms can be downloaded and submitted online at www.turlockfirefighters.org through Sept.25. Nominations must be electronically submitted with a completed Entry Form via email to pinkhelmet@turlockfirefighters.org. Please use “Pink Helmet” as the subject line for your entry email.

To order tickets for Emanuel’s Women’s Cancer Awareness Night Out call toll free at 888-545-6979, or order online at www.emanuelmedicalcenter.org/cancer, starting at 6 a.m. Sept. 16.