Rosemont's Kristin Root joins Advocate Health Care and Chicago Bulls to #PinkOut United Center
Kristin Root and her husband Jon joined dozens of breast cancer survivors, fighters and family members from across Illinois to help #PinkOut the United Center as part of Advocate Health Care and the Chicago Bulls' efforts to promote breast cancer awareness this past Friday at the October 13 game.
This was the fifth consecutive year that Advocate and the Bulls have honored those affected by breast cancer, a disease that one in eight women develop during her lifetime.
As the Director of the Health Department for the Village of Rosemont and a nurse, Kristin Root is no stranger to the medical field. Her breast cancer discovery came after a visit to her OBGYN. In reality, Root went to her OB because she was planning to start her first round of IVF with Dr. Charles Miller at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. But her OB found a lump, which led to a mammogram and while the lump turned out to be nothing, her mammogram showed something else and she was later diagnosed with breast cancer. Her physicians Dr. Heidi Memmel and Dr. Nila Alsheik joined her and her husband at the game to help raise awareness.
Participants from the group of survivors served as honorary captain and members of the Hi-Five Club, welcoming Bulls players as they headed down the tunnel. They also formed a pink ribbon at center court.
"I cannot tell you how proud I was to participate in honoring our survivors and fighters," said Dr. Nila Alsheik, chair of breast imaging for Advocate and Co-Medical Director of the Caldwell Breast Center at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill. She served as game ball presenter alongside Co-Medical Director and breast surgeon Dr. Heidi Memmel, "It's so important that we raise awareness for this disease, as early detection allows for less aggressive treatment and leads to better outcomes. Annual screening mammograms beginning at age 40 saves lives."
Benny the Bull was decked out in pink, as were Bulls ambassadors, broadcasters, coaches and the Luvabulls. Fans entering the stadium received a pink breast cancer t-shirt.