LOS ANGELES, CA – Councilmember Bob Blumenfield celebrated and honored local media legend Jillian Barberie by declaring February 19, ‘Jillian Barberie Breast Cancer Awareness Day’ in the City of Los Angeles. Late last year, Ms. Barberie was diagnosed with breast cancer and made her recovery journey public to encourage, support and honor the tens of thousands of women and their family memberswho endure the same challenge.
“Jillian has made honesty, full public disclosure and transparency a hallmark of her storied and acclaimed media career. When she was given a life altering diagnosis, she decided to step up and use her experiences to shed more light on this disease,” said Blumenfield. “Early detection is vital and for the sake of the countless families who are impacted by it every day, we must continue to break down stigmas around cancer.”
Ms. Barberie said, “I am beyond moved and honored to receive this recognition. My fight is the fight of so many and I am committed to raising the awareness of the impact of breast cancer on so many women and their families. My thanks to Councilman Blumenfield and the City Council, for this great honor, to all my colleagues at KABC and Cumulus Los Angeles for their support, and to the many people who have sent their messages of love.”
Since her diagnosis, Ms. Barberie has undergone aggressive treatments, using her public platform to break stigmas and raise awareness around breast cancer. Over the following months, she has shared her story every step of the way through social media and her radio show.
Ms. Barberie has been a fixture of the Los Angeles media community for over twenty years. From co-hosting Good Day LA for almost two decades, to her work with NFL on Fox, she can be heard weekday mornings on AM 790 KABC along with John Phillips for The Morning Drive.
Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. In 2019, it\’s estimated that about 30% of newly diagnosed cancers in women will be breast cancers. One in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer during their lives and 85% of breast cancers occur in women with no family history of the disease. Though death rates have decreased over the past 30 years, 41,760 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2019 from breast cancer.
Over three million women in America have a history of breast cancer including women currently in treatment.
To learn more about breast cancer including early detection, free programs and resources please go to American Breast Cancer Foundation , the National Breast Cancer Foundation or one of the many other national and local organizations.