Bothwell Foundation to kick off annual Pinktober breast cancer awareness efforts
The Bothwell Foundation is continuing support for breast cancer awareness with its annual Pinktober campaign in October by raising funds in a Blue Jeans for Bothwell, Go Casual for Cancer Care effort and providing free mammograms.
Blue Jeans for Bothwell, Go Casual for Cancer Care encourages employees at area businesses and community members to wear jeans and pink on Wednesday, Oct. 26 and donate $5 to the foundation’s Gene Loveall Cancer Services Fund.
Businesses that want to participate in Blue Jeans for Bothwell may register online at brhc.org/pinktober by Oct. 21 to be recognized on the Bothwell Foundation Facebook page. Registration is not required to participate. Businesses should send collected employee donations by Oct. 28 to the Bothwell Foundation at 601 E. 14th St., Sedalia, MO 65301. Individuals not associated with a participating company may donate $5 online at brhc.org/foundation-giving/donate. To designate the donation, select the Gene Lovell Cancer Services Fund in the “My donation is for” drop-down menu.
Lauren Thiel-Payne, Bothwell Foundation executive director, said this year’s specially designed Pinktober T-shirts are available for purchase at all Central Bank branches in Sedalia beginning Oct. 7 while supplies last. She encourages everyone who participates to share their photos wearing jeans and pink on Facebook with #bluejeansforBothwell.
“We want to see a lot of pink in our community on Oct. 26,” she said. “It’s a fun and easy way for lots of people to financially support cancer services. Almost everyone knows someone who has been impacted by cancer. All the funds raised stay in the community to help people undergoing treatment for not only breast cancer, but all cancers.”
Along with raising money for cancer services, the foundation has partnered with Cancer Perks to offer free 3D mammograms for women aged 40 and over from 8 am to noon Friday, Oct. 14 and 28 at Bothwell Diagnostic Center, 990 Winchester Ave. in Sedalia and from 8 am to noon Friday, Oct 21 at Bothwell Health Center-Truman Lake in Warsaw. Both facilities will administer 3D mammograms, which can detect more cancers, and appointments are required. To make an appointment, call 660-829-8888 and mention “Free Mammo Day.” No order from a physician is required to receive a mammogram.
Pinktober is a community-wide awareness campaign that helps residents served by Bothwell learn more about breast cancer prevention and treatment. Proceeds support the foundation’s Gene Loveall Cancer Services Fund, which provides resources for improving cancer treatment services in Pettis and Benton counties including gas cards for patients who may travel for their treatments, cases of the nutritional supplement Ensure, funds for prescriptions or any other needs patients may have. Funding is also used to provide free mammograms.
For more information, contact the Bothwell Foundation at lthiel@brhc.org or 660-829-7786.