South Peninsula Hospital in collaboration with Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic and Ninilchik Traditional Council are hosting the second annual Brake for Breakfast event in honor of Breast Health Awareness Month.

The event will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at three locations in the Homer area: the Islands and Oceans Visitor Center parking lot, the Fritz Creek General Store parking lot and the NTC Health Clinic parking lot (33880 Sterling Highway) in Ninilchik.

Hosted by medical facilities across the country, Brake for Breakfast provides free breakfast bags along with breast health information, such as the importance of breast screening, the purpose of a mammogram, mammogram safety, options for payment and other related resources, according to Derotha Ferraro with South Peninsula Hospital.

South Peninsula Hospital heard about the program last year from the new OB/GYN provider, Dr. Pamela Williams.

Each bag will also contain a surprise treat from Alpenglow, a local company that creates skin and hair care products.

“The reason we are doing this is because approximately 13% (about one in eight) women in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer in the course of their life,” Annie Garay, community health and wellness educator and nurse at SPH, said in an email.

She also noted that breast cancer screening can detect cancer before signs or symptoms develop, and can help find breast cancer in its earliest and most treatable stage. When detected in the early stages, breast cancer has a five-year relative survival rate of 99%, according to the American Cancer Society, Garay said. This statement is confirmed on the National Breast Cancer Foundation website’s link to early detection.

Other events taking place this month will include a menopause book club and a Wellness Wednesday presentation on Oct. 16 at Kenai Peninsula College by the South Peninsula midwives.

The book club will focus on “The New Menopause” by Mary Clare Haver, MD and will include a four-week session of conversations with certified nurse midwife Julie McCarron, MSCP and OB-GYN Dr. Renda Knapp.

The club is limited to 10 people and will take place on Thursdays starting on Oct. 17 from 5:30-6:30 in Pioneer Hall at Kachemak Bay Campus. Contact wellness@sphosp.org for questions.