Mayor Rickenmann hosts 21st annual “Isabel Law Breast Cancer Breakfast”

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — The 21st annual “Isabel Law Breast Cancer Breakfast” was held on Main Street Friday morning.

Hosted by Columbia’s Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, City officials, volunteers from Prisma Health Midlands Foundation, and community members broke out their best pink wardrobes for the breakfast.

Rickenmann says most everyone has been affected in some way by breast cancer.

“You either had a friend, a family member, a coworker, somebody. My mother-in-law passed away from breast cancer, my sister-in-law is a survivor. My Chief of Staff is a survivor. Our City Clerk is a survivor, so I mean for us it’s real personal,” says Rickenmann.

The breakfast is in honor of Isabel Law who served as a Registered Nurse and Nurse Navigator for breast cancer patients at Baptist Medical Center, formerly known as Palmetto Health Baptist Columbia.

Isabel’s daughter Tamara says her mom helped over 5,000 breast cancer patients in her time as a registered nurse.

“She started that job I think in 1992, and it was her life’s purpose to help women through their diagnosis of breast cancer. She truly found her calling,” says Tamara Law, adding, “She was just a loving, caring, purposeful person. She had tons of friends. She was just well loved and well admired.”

Mayor Rickenmann recalled Law’s impact as well, saying, “She was in there working with patients during the day, taking her time on weekends and nights, supporting survivors and family. She was an inspiration to all.”

According to Mayor Rickenmann, 240,000 women and 2,100 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the U.S.