A luncheon to raise awareness for breast cancer will be held at noon Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Burlington.

The event is sponsored by the local nonprofit organization The Cause Inc., which hosts events throughout the year to benefit people with various health issues.

“We’re hoping for a nice turnout. We usually get between 30 and 40 people” said Stacy Murray-Medcalf, coordinator for the event. “But, if we can help just one person, it’s worth it.”

During the luncheon representatives from the Capital-Huntington Breast Center will give demonstrations and give lectures on the signs of breast cancer and measures women can take to prevent the disease.

“It’s a very hands-on event” Murray-Medcalf said. “We’ll have prosthetics there so women can feel the difference between a normal breast and a breast with a knot, or lump, that could be cancerous.”

According to the American Cancer Society an estimated 39,000 women a year die as a result of breast cancer. Murray-Medcalf says a majority of those deaths could be avoided with better awareness and education about breast cancer.

“The No. 1 thing I tell people is know your body,” said Murray-Medcalf. “Most of the time your body will give you signs that something is wrong, and that doesn’t always mean pain. A lot of times women think if there is no pain then nothing is wrong.”

In conjunction with the luncheon, The Cause Inc. is also sharing breast cancer stories on its website until the end of November. The hope is that the testimonies will provide some women with a sense of closure and others with encouragement.

“It just provides people who’ve had breast cancer the chance to say, ‘This is my story. This is what I’ve been through,’” Murray-Medcalf said. “It lets people know there is hope, and that they are not alone in their fight.”

For more information visit www.thecause7.com.