Jane Landau, right, and Jan Ackerly, both of Lawrence, tie a pink ribbon to a pole on Massachusetts Street on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008 in an effort to raise breast cancer awareness. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On Oct. 25, LMH will host the 16th Annual Stepping Out Against Breast Cancer Dance as a fundraiser to benefit women who need to get mammograms.

Lawrence residents walking downtown this week are likely to see pink – pink ribbons, that is. Members of Lawrence Memorial Hospital tied pink ribbons around lampposts and trees on Sunday along Massachusetts Street and Clinton Parkway in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness month and as a reminder to women to get mammograms.

LMH will host the 16th annual Stepping Out Against Breast Cancer dance on Saturday, Oct. 25, at Crown Automotive, 3430 Iowa. Attendees are encouraged to come in their Halloween costumes.

“It’s always a lot of fun. You can dress up or not. Businesses downtown and others throughout the community are picking it up to help support the cause,” said Cheri Thompson, event co-chairwoman, who was out tying ribbons on Sunday.

LMH Chief of Staff Dr. Mike Thompson, who was also downtown helping tie ribbons on Sunday, said it’s important to diagnose breast cancer at an early stage.

“That’s what the benefit is for, is to obtain funds to allow people to get early intervention with mammograms and early biopsies and to get the diagnosis early so that treatment and success will be greater,” he said.

Proceeds from the fundraiser go to mammograms for women who are uninsured or underinsured, as well as equipment for the LMH Breast Center. Tickets can be purchased at Weavers, all Central National Bank locations, the LMH Gift Shop and through the LMH Endowment office by calling 505-3315.