Despite government grants and assistance, many women in our community do not have access to breast cancer screening, diagnosis, or treatment. Because of this need, the East Alabama Medical Center Foundation established the EAMC Breast Health for Underserved Women program. This program allows medically underserved women living in east Alabama to receive mammograms, diagnostic testing, and treatment.

Through the help of our donors, this program served over 220 women in our community in 2011. Six women required advanced testing and one of those was a 34 year old with hyperplasia that required a lumpectomy. Hyperplasia is pre-cancerous, but because it is not a diagnosis of cancer, Medicaid will not pay for the procedure. In the state of Alabama, the Alabama Breast and Cervical Program only pays for women over 40 with a problem therefore young women have no coverage for any breast problems that are detected.

In the month of February of this year alone, we had three women that we paid for their mammograms, and their biopsies had positive diagnosis of cancer.

Since 2004, EAMC has teamed up with Opelika Main Street and the Lee County Chapter of the American Cancer Society to host the annual Think Pink Walk. This event attracts participants from all over east Alabama and raises money for the EAMC Breast Health program. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, September 29th 2012 , and will feature a one-mile walk in downtown Opelika, live entertainment, breast cancer awareness information and activities, and a reception for all participants in the walk.

Take a look at our photo gallery from last year’s event (below). We invite you to show your support for the women of east Alabama by making a contribution to the Breast Health fund at any time throughout the year (see the Make a Gift button on this page). We hope to see you at this year’s Think Pink walk!

Click on images to enlarge or view the full gallery on our facebook site.