Quintana Roo Lights Up Pink to Boost Breast Cancer Prevention

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa and Verónica Lezama Espinosa, honorary president of the Quintana Roo DIF state family welfare system, led the 2026 Pink Lighting ceremony outside the Government Palace in Chetumal, launching a month of breast cancer awareness activities under the slogan “Everything you touch matters to you.”

The campaign calls on women to prioritize prevention and early detection. Public buildings belonging to the state’s three branches of government and the DIF offices in all 11 municipalities will be illuminated in pink to keep the message visible and to stress the importance of self-examinations, medical checkups and mammograms.

Speaking at the event, the governor said her administration, which she described as humanist with a feminist heart, offers free mammograms throughout the year and expands those efforts every October. She said mobile units, the Medical Specialty Unit (Uneme), the Bienestar units, civil society organizations and private laboratories are being enlisted to bring screening services to more women.

Lezama invited women between the ages of 40 and 69 to schedule a mammogram and urged them not to put off checkups because of family or work responsibilities. She also warned that breast cancer can affect women under 40 and said knowing one’s own body and recognizing any change is essential.

“Taking care of ourselves is also an act of love,” she said, insisting that prevention must become a permanent habit rather than a message limited to October.

The governor asked families to help spread the word and to accompany women to their medical appointments. She also voiced support for those living with a breast cancer diagnosis, saying they are not alone during treatment.

One of the central moments of the ceremony was the testimony of Karen Montalvo Palacios, a dentist and breast cancer survivor, who shared her experience to raise awareness about the importance of addressing any abnormality, regardless of age or family history.

Verónica Lezama Espinosa, honorary president of the Quintana Roo DIF, said self-examination workshops, mammography drives and awareness activities will be stepped up across the 11 municipalities during October. She said such campaigns must translate into concrete actions that give women the tools to protect their health and receive timely care.

She also reaffirmed the state DIF’s commitment to working with municipal governments, the health sector and civil associations to broaden prevention and support efforts.