October isn’t just LGBTQ+ History Month — or a time for the community to enjoy spooky season’s frights and delights, detailed here in Watermark’s annual Halloween coverage — it’s also Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The international health campaign raises awareness and funds to combat the disease, which impacts hundreds of thousands annually. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and in the U.S. this year alone, an estimated 310,720 women and 2,800 men will be diagnosed with a type that spreads into surrounding tissue.
Binary statistics like these don’t account for many LGBTQ+ Americans, however, something Tampa Bay’s Moffitt Cancer Center and Found Family Collective agree upon. It’s what led the organizations to partner for a forthcoming Halloween Health-O-Thon, coming to City Side Lounge Oct. 26 from 1-8 p.m.
“Moffitt Cancer Center’s Office of Community Outreach, Engagement and Equity has teamed up with Found Family Collective for a special LGBTQ+ focused Breast Cancer Awareness event to remind LGBTQ+ folks that cancer affects all body types regardless of gender and sexual orientation,” they announced.
The event will focus on the inclusion of lesbian, trans masculine, nonbinary and trans feminine communities while utilizing LGBTQ+-inclusive language and addressing the community’s unique concerns. There will also be drag performances centering on early detection screening, survivor’s testimonials and preventative self-examination 101 tutorials.
Moffitt is Florida’s first National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Its mission is “to save more lives,” something it works to do by “accelerating the science with greater urgency than ever before.”
Found Family Collective, an LGBTQ+-focused grassroots nonprofit, has served Tampa Bay since 2022. It exists to “encourage vibrancy, resiliency, joy and connectedness within the queer and trans community,” something it’s done by producing events like health and wellness fairs.
Topher Larkin — a community outreach worker specialist for Moffitt’s Office of Community Outreach, Engagement and Equity — happened to attend one such gathering. He saw a potential partnership in the process.
“October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the conversation surrounding that is usually around cisgender women,” Larkin explains. “Oftentimes the LGBTQ+ community is not explicitly recorded in studies. We wanted this event to speak to all members of the community, especially those who are lesbian, trans and nonbinary, so they can feel included and comfortable in this environment.”
Found Family Collective was eager to partner. Co-Executive Director Angel D’Angelo says highlighting the significant health disparities LGBTQ+ people face, particularly when it comes to matters like cancer, is something that doesn’t happen enough.
“We get a lot of information about HIV and STIs — there can never be too much information about it — but sometimes that’s the only thing people are discussing with us,” he says. “Sexual health is an important topic but it is not the only topic that matters when it comes LGBTQI health equity. There are so many more that we have to worry about.”
Beginning at 1 p.m., 3D Mobile Mammography will be on site to provide free screening mammograms, regardless of sex and age limitations. The bus utilizes the only FDA-approved 3D mammography technology for the early detection of breast cancer.
It provides Dr. Ryan Polselli — who D’Angelo notes is gender identity competent, meaning “he will be able to screen you regardless of your chest type” — to interpret mammograms and diagnostics in real-time. This allows most patients to get same-day results and appointments are available in 10-minute increments until 7:50 p.m.
Barbeque will also be available from 4-7 p.m., donated by City Side Lounge, and a health fair with local vendors will run simultaneously. Participants include Farkas Chiropractic Care, Inclusive Care Group and CAN Community Health, which will provide HIV testing.
City Side Lounge Entertainment Director Jay Miah, known for competing on FOX’s “Alter Ego” and more, will host the event’s two drag shows. She’ll be joined by fellow fan favorite entertainers Mr. Vyn Suazion, Esme Russell, Kiali Santi and Apollo Infiniti at 6:30 and 7:20 p.m.
“We’re looking forward to the collaboration with Found Family Collective and Moffitt Cancer Center to bring awareness to our community,” Miah says. “I know how important it is to be informed about our health care. Take advantage of the free screenings. Its so important to take control of our health. Be proactive!”
The cast will subsequently judge a Halloween costume contest at 7:50 p.m., with gift cards in the amount of $100, $75 and $50 going to the first, second and third place winners.
“We’re really excited about this event,” Larkin says. “It’s a fun and innovative way to get the message of cancer prevention out there and we’re hoping it’s just the beginning of this partnership with Found Family Collective.”
Moffitt Cancer Center and Found Family Collective’s Halloween Health-O-Thon will be held at City Side Lounge Oct. 26, located at 3703 Henderson Blvd. in Tampa. Learn more at Moffitt.org and Facebook.com/FoundFamilyCollective, and visit 3D Mobile Mammography at 3DMobileMammography.com to reserve a screening time.
