It’s a true blessing for me

Tina's Story

Meet Tina, a single mom in her fifties who works two part-time jobs to make enough to take care of her children. Like many part-time workers, Tina has no health insurance. With a family history of breast cancer, Tina understands the importance of early detection. Without insurance, she thought there was no way she could afford a mammogram, and so for years she went without.

“Taking care of two boys, my funds were low and my priority was my kids.”

Incredibly, 1 in every 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their life. Early detection is essential and mammograms are the best tool currently available to us.

In the 14-county region of our Upper Cumberland community, there are thousands of women who go without screening mammograms year after year because they lack insurance or necessary resources. Thankfully, the Pink Ribbon of Hope program has been established to help women in this very situation. Pink Ribbon provides screening mammograms to uninsured and underinsured women from all parts of the Upper Cumberland. Pink Ribbon appointments are scheduled throughout the week at the Breast Center. In total, about 500 women receive free mammograms every year through the Pink Ribbon of Hope program.

Pink Ribbon of Hope is an ongoing collaborative effort between the Breast Center at Cookeville Regional, Cookeville Regional Imaging Center, Cookeville Regional Cancer Center, Foundation and community partners including Komen Upper Cumberland, and area health departments. Mammogram appointments may be scheduled by calling 931-783-2222.

“I am so thankful for the Pink Ribbon program. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to get a mammogram. It’s a true blessing for me, and I know for a lot of other women.”

You can help. A gift of $100 to our Pink Ribbon Fund will sponsor a mammogram for one woman who would otherwise go without this potentially lifesaving screening. You can be a blessing to women in need here in our community.

Please give today.