"Mary's Ribbons" Honors Those Affected by Breast Cancer
Annual event is held by the Washington Heritage Museums during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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Though she lived more than 200 years ago, Mary Washington’s life is relatable to us today in many ways. She was a single parent and a working mother, managing the estate and plantation of her late husband on her own, until her oldest son George came of age—and she experienced breast cancer.
As it does every October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Washington Heritage Museums—which manages five historic properties in Fredericksburg associated with the life and times of George Washington—invites the community to tie a pink ribbon to the fence in front of Mary Washington’s house in her honor and in honor of any loved one affected by breast cancer.
“Mary’s Ribbons” is a free activity that “brings visibility to the disease and allows community members to honor or remember the courageous women of their choice,” the organization wrote in a press release.
Mary Washington likely discovered her cancer sometime in the mid 1780s, when she was in her late 70s, according to an article written by Mary Washington House manager Michelle Hamilton. At the time, there were no treatments for the disease aside from surgery and the application of various salves and ointments.
Mary was treated by two local physicians, Elisha Hall and Charles Mortimer. Hall wrote to his cousin, esteemed doctor Benjamin Rush, desperate for advice on how to treat the mother of George Washington.
On July 6, 1789, Rush wrote back to his cousin: “The respectable age and character of your venerable patient lead me to regret that it is not in my power to suggest a remedy for the cure of the disorder you have described in her breast. I know nothing of the root that you mention is found in Carolina and Georgia, but from a variety of inquiries and experiments I am disposed to believe that there does not exist in the vegetable kingdom an antidote to cancers … Continue the application of opium and camphor, and wash it frequently with a decoction of red clover. Give anodynes when necessary, and support the system with bark and wine. Under this treatment, she may live comfortably many years and finally die of old age.”
Mary received the best care possible but was already in the late stages of breast cancer by this time. Her daughter Betty wrote to George later that month, telling him, “I am sorry to inform you My Mothers Breast still Continues bad. God only knows how it will end; I dread the Consequence. she is sensible of it & is Perfectly resign’d— wishes for nothing more than to keep it Easy.”
Mary Washington died on August 25, 1789, at her home in Fredericksburg, in her sleep, at the age of 81.
George wrote to Betty in September, “Awful, and affecting as the death of a Parent is, there is consolation in knowing that Heaven has spared ours to an age, beyond which few attain, and favored her with the full enjoyments of her mental faculties, and as much bodily strength as usually falls to the lot of four score.”
Visitors to the Mary Washington House at 1200 Charles Street can pick up a ribbon to tie on or reserve one online for staff to tie on.
Washington Heritage Museums has other special events planned for October, including the fall opening of the St. James House from October 7 to 12 and talks on Haunted Fredericksburg and Gothic Ghosts. More information about these events and registration information is here.
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