Texas First Lady Anita Perry kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month Tuesday. During the month of October, she's encouraging women to take an active role in their health, by getting yearly breast exams and regular mammograms.

“Right now, early detection is the closest thing we have to a cure. It is the simplest and most effective way to increase the odds of survival,” said Mrs. Perry.

One out of every eight women will develop breast cancer.

More than 15,000 people in Texas will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and many more will go undiagnosed.

Several dozen breast cancer survivors and their supporters stood on the steps of the State Capitol Tuesday, donning pink clothing and ribbons.

“In recognition of the thousands of lives touched by breast cancer, we will wear pink ribbons throughout the month of October, we will make donations to support cancer research, and early detection, and we will raise awareness by sharing stories about detection and survival,” said Perry.

Many of the women in attendance share a similar story. They are breast cancer survivors, including Stefanie LaRue, 32.

“Younger women can and do get this, too,” said LaRue. She was diagnosed with stage four advanced metastatic breast cancer almost two years ago.

“I saw three different doctors. Not one, not two, but three different doctors unfortunately overlooked the possibility of me having breast cancer and misdiagnosed me as having mastitis and unfortunately, that lead very quickly to the cancer metastasizing from my breast to the lymph nodes to my bones, and I ended up being diagnosed with stage four metastatic at the age of 30,” said LaRue.

LaRue was given just one year to live.

“I really lived that first year of like I'm going to die,” said LaRue.

Although she says her treatment was difficult, LaRue has survived nearly two years.

“It was a hard journey, a hard road to travel, but you keep positive thoughts in your mind and you think about getting to the next day and living and surviving,” said LaRue. She’s surviving a disease that touches the lives of thousands of women in Texas every year.

LaRue wll be featured Tuesday night in the premiere of The Quiet War, a film about cancer survivors. The Texas premiere is at 7 p.m. at the Regal Arbor Cinema at Great Hills.

The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is scheduled for Sunday, November 4, at Auditorium Shores.