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GREENSBORO – To kick off Breast Cancer Awareness month, breast cancer survivors from the Eastern Shore were honored at the first annual Survivor Divine luncheon, a gathering its organizer, Patrice Flamer, hopes will grow into a year-round source of support, encouragement, and wellness education for those facing breast cancer.
The luncheon was held Saturday, October 3, at Greater Impact Church in Greensboro. Flamer estimated the event drew a little over 100 people. Throughout the day attendees were treated to a catered meal, praise music, dancing, spoken-word poetry, and opportunities for fellowship. Additionally, Catalina Billings of the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health Cancer Center in Easton presented information about breast cancer, including topics like breast health, mammograms, and nutrition. Elder Kita Sorrell delivered the sermon, while Dr. Trina Johnson led praise dancing.
The ministry is named in honor of the Flamer’s mother, Regina, who is a 13-year breast cancer survivor. Flamer said its purpose grew from watching her mother support other women with breast cancer even as she faced treatment herself. Her example shaped the core message for Survivor Divine: “We Are In This Together!”
For Flamer, the need for a support system for breast cancer patients and survivors became especially clear when one guest, a former teacher of Flamer’s, shared that she had gone through treatment without family by her side, and now her cancer had returned for a third time and metastasized. “She said ‘I really, really needed this,’” Flamer said, adding that prior to reaching out to Survivor Divine, she had felt like she was alone.
Survivor Divine’s next step is a support group planned for March of 2027, with grief as its initial focus. Flamer envisions the support group to evolve into roundtable discussions and presentations from community experts alongside conversations about wellness, healthy eating, and exercise. She hopes the group will help women prioritize self-care, including keeping up with mammograms — something she acknowledged can slip all too easily amid the demands placed on women in society. “This is where I need to be,” Flamer said.
