File photo
File photo
For women living in Texas, breast cancer ranks second when it comes to cancer death. The best way to combat the disease is to undergo routine screenings, and now women living in Bastrop County have the opportunity to get those routine screenings – even if they are uninsured.
A pilot program has been unveiled in the county and it has a rather catchy name: The Pinky Promise. The goal is to provide 50 screenings at no cost between now and the end of December.
“What a valuable resource for the women of Bastrop County, since early detection and treatment means the greatest hope for survival and recovery from breast cancer,” said Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape, who chairs the Bastrop County Cares committee. “It’s exciting and encouraging to me to see this level of coordination on such an important initiative.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say regular screenings are the best way to catch the killer disease early. And when it is caught earlier, the cancer is easier to treat.
The biggest goal of the initiative is to boost the number of women living Bastrop County to receive mammograms by 30%.
“We know that Texas women living in rural areas are more likely to have breast cancers diagnosed at a later, more invasive stage, which means ultimately they will die of the disease at a much higher rate than their counterparts living in more developed areas,” S. Gail Eckhardt, chair of oncology and director of the Livestrong Cancer Institutes at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas, said. “This pilot in Bastrop County to increase awareness and fight breast cancer is leading the way and setting an example for other counties in our region.”
Bastrop County Cares, Dell Medical School, Alliance for African American Health in Central Texas, Community Action Inc., Shivers Cancer Foundation, ARA Diagnostic Imaging, Ascension Seton Smithville, Austin Area Research Organization and several other community entities are all sponsors of the Pinky Promise.
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