By Rebecca Barnes, Publisher, Prince William Living
Breast cancer awareness is often associated with pink ribbons each October, but awareness has its greatest value when it leads to education, conversations, and action. Word Alive Church International in Manassas is bringing women and teen girls together for those conversations during Ribbons & Roses: Pink Ribbons, Strong Women, a Breast Cancer Awareness Month event on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Presented by the church’s Women’s Ministry, the gathering will combine breast-health education, conversation, encouragement and community resources with a special emphasis on helping younger women begin learning about breast health.
Education Can Start Early
Breast health is not a conversation that needs to wait until a woman reaches the age for routine mammograms. Young women and teens can begin learning about their bodies, understanding what is normal for them and developing habits that encourage them to pay attention when something changes. Breast self-awareness is different from relying on a formal monthly breast self-exam. The goal is to become familiar with how your breasts normally look and feel and to talk with a healthcare professional about changes or concerns.
That education can also help remove some of the fear and embarrassment that can surround conversations about breast health, particularly for younger women. Ribbons & Roses will include a dedicated teen wellness session for girls ages 13 to 19, providing an opportunity for those conversations to begin in an age-appropriate setting.
Knowing Your Own Body Matters
Breast cancer screening recommendations depend on factors including age and individual risk. Women should talk with their healthcare providers about their personal risk factors and when screening is appropriate for them. Screening, however, is only part of breast health.
Being aware of changes in your breasts can help you recognize when something needs attention. A new lump or thickening, changes in the size or shape of a breast, skin changes, nipple changes, or unusual discharge are among the reasons to contact a healthcare professional.
Finding a change does not mean that it is cancer. It does mean that it deserves attention.
That is an important distinction, particularly during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Awareness should not create fear. It should give women information and encourage them to advocate for their own health.
Creating Space for Conversation
Ribbons & Roses is designed to create that space across generations. In addition to breast-health education, the program will include guided conversation and a question-and-answer session, prayer, encouragement, and recognition of breast cancer survivors, caregivers, and loved ones. A luncheon will be served at 12:30 p.m.
Bringing teens, adult women, survivors and caregivers into the same room also creates an opportunity for families to begin conversations that might otherwise be difficult to start. Family health history can be an important part of understanding breast cancer risk. Knowing that history and sharing it with a healthcare provider can help women have more informed discussions about screening and other preventive care.
Pink Ribbons Should Lead to Action
October provides an important reminder, but breast health deserves attention throughout the year. Learn your family history. Know your body. Pay attention to changes. Keep recommended healthcare appointments. Ask questions about your individual risk and appropriate screening. Encourage the women and girls you love to become comfortable talking about their health.
Most importantly, do not ignore a concern because you are afraid of what it might mean. For those of us who have heard the words “you have breast cancer,” Breast Cancer Awareness Month carries a meaning that extends well beyond wearing pink. Education, awareness, and timely conversations with healthcare professionals matter.
Ribbons & Roses offers Prince William area women and girls another place to begin those conversations.
Ribbons & Roses Event Details
Ribbons & Roses: Pink Ribbons, Strong Women will be held Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Word Alive Church International’s Abraham D. Ledbetter Fellowship Hall, 8517 Rixlew Lane in Manassas.
Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for teen girls ages 13 to 19, with no additional ticketing fees. The registration deadline is Oct. 3. On-site registration will also be available at the venue, according to information provided by the church.
For questions or additional information, contact Word Alive Church International at 703-369-6770.
Rebecca Barnes is the publisher of Prince William Living and a longtime Prince William County business and community leader. A breast cancer survivor, Barnes understands personally how quickly breast health can become more than an annual reminder on the calendar. She uses her experience to encourage women to pay attention to their bodies, talk openly about breast health, keep up with appropriate screenings, and seek medical guidance when something does not feel right.