Power of Pink Campaign Designed to Raise Breast Cancer Awareness
Sarah Bush Lincoln is planning a community awareness event to increase breast cancer awareness and encourage women to schedule regular mammograms, a quick screen that can saves lives.
Through its Power of Pink campaign, the Health Center is asking people in the community to wear pink each Friday in October to encourage women to schedule a mammogram and make a difference in the lives of the women they love. Pink wear can be purchased at Rural King and Walmart stores in Mattoon and Charleston, who are partnering with SBL to raise breast cancer awareness. Any funds raised through this community awareness effort will support SBL Mobile Mammography providing mammograms for women in need.
The Health Center has also enlisted the help of 25 well-known men in the community to assist in the fight against breast cancer. These local “celebrities” will be visible wearing Power of Pink polo shirts in advertisements and on posters displayed throughout the community to encourage others to wear pink and for women to schedule a mammogram.
Participants in the endeavor are: Regional Cancer Center doctors Abdur Shakir, MD, Seong Cho, MD, and Kuppasamy Jagarlamudi, MD; Charleston and Mattoon Mayors John Inyart and Tim Gover; Charleston Fire and Police Chiefs: Pat Goodwin and Brian Baker; Mattoon Fire and Police Chiefs: Tony Nichols and Jeff Branson; SBL President & CEO: Tim Ols; EIU President Bill Perry and Head Football Coach Bob Spoo; Lake Land College President: Scott Lensink; Charleston School Administrators: Jim Littleford, Rob Ulm and Football Coach Brian Halsey; Mattoon School Administrators: Larry Lilly, Chris Maleske, Bruce Bernard, Football Coach Troy Johnson; WMCI Radio Personality: Bub McCullough; First Mid-Illinois President: Joe Dively; and Lakeland Radiologists: Aldo Ruffolo, DO, Matt Jones, MD, and Joshua Garrett, MD.
In addition, SBL is inviting community members to participate in a group human pink ribbon photo set for 12:30 pm on Friday, Oct. 21 on the Health Center’s front lawn. Please come dressed in pink wear to join the human pink ribbon for the aerial photo. The more people dressed in pink, the better the photo will be. The rain date is Oct. 28.
More than 8,000 women in Illinois are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Of those, 2,200 die from the disease. Early detection tests for breast cancer save many thousands of lives each year, and many more lives could be saved if even more women took advantage of these tests. Early detection of breast cancer improves the chances that breast cancer can be diagnosed at an early stage and treated successfully.
The mobile mammography van helps provide mammograms to women who may not otherwise have access to, or be able to afford these life-saving preventive screens, stopping at area county health departments, SBL extended campus locations, banks and other locations. It is available to all women regardless of their financial status. Women who qualify will receive their mammograms free through the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer program.
Women with insurance that covers their annual mammograms are also welcome. Appointments are strongly encourages, though walk-ins are welcome. To make an appointment for a mammogram on the mobile van at a location near you, call 1-800-639-5929. To find out if you qualify for free screens, call 1-800-331-1689. Women who schedule their annual mammogram in October will receive a large Power of Pink tote.