Mushrooms for breast cancer?

Yes! Give a gift of hope and healing by supporting Reach for Recovery’s Ditto Project

An external breast prosthesis may be the best option a woman has if she cannot afford reconstructive surgery. And the reality is that many breast cancer patients in SouthbAfrica cannot even afford a bra, let alone a breast prosthesis So come on South Africa, here’s your chance to help breast cancer survivors in financial need, regain their confidence and self-esteem.

For the entire month of October, pink punnets will ‘mushroom’ onto Pick n Pay’s fresh produce shelves nationally. R1 from each punnet of 250g whole white button mushrooms, 250g sliced white button mushrooms, the 250g budget line and the 400g whole white mushroom punnets sold, will be donated to Reach for Recovery’s Ditto project. A remarkable initiative that provides silicone prostheses to women who, after breast cancer followed by a mastectomy, cannot afford to purchase a prosthesis even less so undergo reconstructive surgery.

Reach for Recovery’s Management Board Chairperson, Stephné Jacobs is passionate about the positive impact of the Power of Pink fundraising campaign on the success achieved by Reach for Recovery’s Ditto Project. She believes that women in low-income categories, diagnosed with breast cancer, deserve the same access to support services as anyone else as these could be life-saving, literally and figuratively. “

No one can understand the self- esteem, financial and family challenges these breast cancer survivors face unless they have walked a mile in their shoes. Our who are breast cancer survivors themselves and volunteers, understand that journey all too well and through the Power of Pink they have the capacity to assist these women in reshaping their lives.”

The South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association (SAMFA) and Pick ‘n Pay, Power of Pink campaign partners since its inception in 2010, have been tireless in their support of breast cancer survivors who find themselves in an even more difficult financial situation after a mastectomy. Over the last 9 years over R4m has been raised enabling the campaign to change the lives of more than 6000 women.”

To celebrate the 10 th year of the Power of pink campaign, Pick n Pay will be donating 1400 mastectomy bras for prosthesis recipients. The generosity of our partners and the support of all South Africans make this campaign possible. We are therefore asking everyone to be on the alert for colourful pink punnets of mushrooms in the veggie aisle of your local Pick n Pay during October. Be sure to pop a punnet or two into your trolley. It’s a lovely healthy way of giving a gift of hope and healing.

AND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MUSHROOMS AND BREAST CANCER?

Mushrooms are thought to be particularly effective against breast and other hormone-related cancers because they inhibit an enzyme called aromatase, which produces oestrogen. Several types of mushrooms including white buttons and portobello varieties, have indicated strong anti-aromatase activity.

So, can tossing some sliced mushrooms onto your salad help reduce your risk of breast cancer? “Yes,” says City of Hope’s Shiuan Chen, Ph.D. and Chair of the Department of Cancer Biology at City of Hope's Beckman Research Institute. “Mushrooms contain compounds that prevent estrogen levels from getting too high. Since estrogen is a factor in 70 percent of all breast cancer cases, maintaining healthy levels of the hormone makes sense as a preventative measure.”

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