Positively Pink Breast Cancer Screening Initiative

The goal of this program is to decrease the number of breast cancer deaths by increasing the up-to-date mammography rate in a 9-county service area. Amarillo Area Foundation’s Louise Bowers Slentz Advise and Consult Fund is underwriting the 1-year pilot program which focuses on residents in Carson, Donley, Gray, Hemphill, Roberts, Wheeler, Armstrong, Collingsworth, and Hutchinson Counties. PBH will provide no-cost mammograms to uninsured women aged 40 an over, who have not had a mammogram in the last 12 months and whose household income is not more than 400 percent of the poverty rate; and a limited number of genetic tests for uninsured breast cancer patients. PBH will continue to educate people on cancer screening guidelines and provide breast cancer survivor support. All nine counties in the service area fall below the statewide average of 74.9 percent of Texas women aged 50-74 who have had a mammogram within the past two years. This is lower than the United States overall, which was 78.8 percent. The aim of mammography screening is to detect breast cancer as early as possible, primarily to reduce the number of breast cancer deaths but also to reduce the severity of the disease.

Panhandle Breast Health will continue to provide no-cost mammograms to other area residents through funding from the Ryan Palmer Foundation. PBH contracts with BSA Harrington Breast Center for mammography services.