Breast cancer survivors help create
'pink' houses for Habitat in Dallas

11:36 AM CDT on Sunday, April 13, 2008
By DEBORAH FLECK / The Dallas Morning News

These construction workers stand out.

ELIZABETH M. CLAFFEY/Special Contributor Richard Casarez (left), whose mother is
a breast cancer survivor, works with Catherine Harvey Edwards, who herself is a survivor. Ms. Edwards' communications technology company will donate one year of phone
service to the home's new owners. They wear pink. They're women. And they're breast cancer survivors. For the last few Saturdays, they've hammered and sawed, painted and caulked on a Habitat for Humanity house under construction in South Dallas.

"It's good to channel the grief you have into something positive," said seven- year breast cancer survivor Terri Swain of Azle, who brought her son along Saturday. "It's a cool project. There's a lot of energy, and you meet so many others." While many cancer survivors help with races and relays, Breast Cancer Builds founder Sheron Patterson believes this is the first time a group of survivors has gathered to build
a house.

Dr. Patterson, senior pastor at Highland Hills United Methodist Church, founded the
group this year. "I wanted to have a tangible benefit and do something different to help," she said. A health and wellness advocate, Dr. Patterson recently chronicled her battle with breast cancer for The Dallas Morning News. She will mark the one-year anniversary of her surgery on May 8 -- two days before the Habitat house is scheduled for dedication.
"It's a beautiful day and a beautiful cause -- to eradicate breast cancer,"

Dr. Patterson told the volunteers as they gathered for lunch Saturday.
To launch the project, she enlisted the help of Highland Park United Methodist Church, whose Carpenters for Christ ministry builds Habitat homes. About 150 pink-clad volunteers have pitched in -- some every Saturday and others when they can.
Survivors, friends, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority alumnae and church members work together on what will become a home for Juanita Valdez and her two sons.
"It's a wonderful group," Ms. Valdez said. "After my home is built, I'd like to help out with other homes."

Many of the women on hand Saturday said they enjoyed learning new skills.
"I now know how to use an electric saw," said 20-year survivor Catherine Harvey
Edwards of Plano. "I've done things I've never done before." Owner of a communications technology company, Ms. Edwards will donate phone service for a year for the new home.
Dallas Habitat volunteers oversee the project and provide experts to guide the inexperienced builders. Gayle Barnes has volunteered for Dallas Habitat since 1994. On May 1 last year, she received a breast cancer diagnosis. "When I heard about this project, I jumped on board," Ms. Barnes said. "It's so productive to expend your energy
on someone else. Plus, someone gets a house out of it."

Linda Lydia, an 11-year survivor, also was eager to help. "It's historic and such a great project," she said. She helps schedule volunteers. Dr. Patterson wants to take her group's work national. Her goals are to increase awareness and raise funds to provide mammograms for low-income women. "I just need a corporate sponsor," she said.
"It's a gratitude project. I'm just happy to be alive."


To help, visit www.drsheron.com or call 972-255-1096.
To apply for a home, visit www.dallas-habitat.org or call 214-678-2300.