Breast Health Fund

The What:

• In October 2012 Fort Madison Community Hospital partnered with Shottenkirk, the GM Giant to raise awareness and money for a newly created Mammogram Assistance Fund managed through the FMCH Foundation. 
• Shottenkirk collected funds for breast cancer awareness through in-store promotions, then generously donated all of the proceeds to Fort Madison Community Hospital Foundation.
• These funds were the seed money that helped launch the “Breast Health Fund.”

The Why:

• One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their life.
• When breast cancer is found early, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent; when found in a more advanced stage, the five -year survival drops to 23 percent. 
• The Mammography Assistance Fund helps pay for mammograms for patients who do not have insurance or the ability to pay for these important screenings.
• When a lump is found, the Mammogram is no longer preventative, which is 100% covered by most insurances, but becomes diagnostic which requires a co-pay.
• The average cost per exam is about $446.00. 

In 2014, we helped 10 women pay for their mammograms.  We expect the need for assistance to continue to grow

The Who:

"Even though I know I am at high risk, I thought about skipping my follow-up mammograms because when you get a bill you can’t pay, that adds stress upon stress. Because my follow-up mammogram discovered cancer at a very early stage, my treatment the second time was much easier and so much faster. Obviously, it saved my life."