WVBHI & WVBCCSP Are Teaming Up!
West Virginia Breast Health Initiative, Inc. (WVBHI) is proud to announce that we have partnered with West Virginia Breast & Cervical Cancer Screening Program (WVBCCSP). The goal of this partnership is to provide support in increasing the number of African American women screened for breast and cervical cancer. WVBHI is providing breast cancer survivors to serve as Champions to visit targeted communities and share their real-life stories with African American women and recruit them to get screened.
The Champions range from ages 20-80, five females and one male, with diverse ethnicities and powerful stories to share about their own diagnoses. They travel across the state to churches and civic events with the WVBHI/Highmark WV Foundation for Health “Here’s the Memo. Get Your Mammo”. The tent is equipped with educational materials from WVBHI and WVBCCSP, screening qualification guidelines, as well as a list of local clinics in the area where someone could get screened. According to data obtained through WVBCCSP, the targeted counties are Kanawha, Berkeley, Wayne, Jefferson, Gilmer, Lewis, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, and Tucker.
To see if you or someone you know would qualify visit the link below:
In addition, WVBHI joined forces with WVBCCSP to facilitate a training collaborative to educate participating statewide screening providers on “Putting Health Equity into Practice”. The training was held on April 25th, and speakers included WVBCCSP’s Charlene Hickman, MS, and Dr. Jennifer Hancock, PsyD, as well as Keynote Speaker, Dr. Donald Alcendor, MS, Ph.D., from Meharry Medical College. Check out the images from that event below!
We've Been Hitting The Road!
Women's Expo
March 24th and 25th, 2023: WVBHI representatives and the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program Survivor Champions Lauren Gritt, SaQuaia Walker, Rebecca Van Der Meer, and Jeff Dempsey, along with Program Manager at WVBCCSP, Zack Jarrett, attended the Southern Communications Women's Expo. This annual event hosted at the Beckley Raleigh County Convention Center is the largest vendor show in Southern West Virginia!
WVBHI and Survivor Champs were able to spread the word about the importance of breast health education and offer assistance to those in need of further resources. This event also marked the first of many for Highmark WV Charitable Fund for Health Here's the Memo Get Your Mammo Campaign.
Kids Summer Bash
June 10th, 2023: WVBHI representatives, the WestVirginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program Survivor Champions Lauren Gritt and Zena Harris, along with Anna Reno from WVBCCSP set up the Highmark WV Charitable Fund for Health Here's the Memo Get Your Mammo Campaign Tent at the Family Care Health Centers Kid's Summer Bash.
Those in attendance had the opportunity to speak with the WVBCCSP representatives, Survivor Champs, and WVBHI representatives about the importance of breast health care, get free swag, take educational materials, and secure mammograms.
Tug River Health
June 27th, 2023: WVBHI representatives and the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program Survivor Champions Patty Rosebourgh and Rebecca Vandermeer set up the Highmark WV Charitable Fund for Health Here's the Memo Get Your Mammo Campaign Tent at the Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center.
Those visiting the facility had the opportunity to speak with WVBHI and Survivor Champs about the importance of breast cancer screenings. Furthermore, attendees had the chance to get free prizes, mammograms, educational materials, and more.
Thank you to the Tug River Health Association and the Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center for your assistance in making this possible.
Pride Festival
June 3rd, 2023: WVBHI representatives and the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program Survivor Champion Lauren Gritt attended the Rainbow Pride of West Virginia's Pride Festival in downtown Charleston, West Virginia! This annual event is one of the largest Pride Festivals in the state of West Virginia!
WVBHI and the WVBCCSP Survivor Champ participated in many of the day's activities. They also spoke with individuals about the importance of keeping up on breast health care, gave away free educational materials, and helped visitors secure the vital breast care they needed. Thank you to Rainbow Pride of West Virginia for putting together this event and having us in attendance!
Picnic In The Park
June 18th, 2023:WVBHI representatives and the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program Survivor Champions Lauren Gritt and Rebecca Vandermeer set up the Highmark WV Charitable Fund for Health Here's the Memo Get Your Mammo Campaign Tent for a Picnic in the Park event. This event was held at the Martin Luther King Junior Park in Downtown Martinsburg and was filled with free food catered by Lady Jay Catering, giveaways, prizes, and more!
WVBHI and the Survivor Champions spoke with visitors from All Nations Church, Destiny Baptist Church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Mount Zion UMC about the importance of breast health care. While there, the Survivor Champions also helped attendees secure the breast health resources they needed.
Women Making a Difference Night
July 20th, 2023:WVBHI representatives and the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program Survivor Champion Lauren Gritt set up the Highmark WV Charitable Fund for Health Here's the Memo Get Your Mammo Campaign Tent at the Women Making a Difference Night at GoMart Ball Park. This event focused on celebrating all the ways women make a difference in our lives and communities.
WVBHI and the WVBCCSP Survivor Champion had a fantastic evening participating in all the festivities, speaking with attendees about breast health care, providing free resources, giving away free swag, signing individuals up for mammograms, and so much more. Thank you to the organizers and sponsors of this amazing event!
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