Of course, mom will be thrilled and admire the beauty and scent of the flowers for a few days but then what? This year, why not consider giving her a gift that will not wilt, not lose its color and not need to be thrown away in a week. This year, why not consider giving her a gift of life – for someone else. For the cost of a bouquet of flowers, you could make a $25 contribution to HealthNet’s Mammography Program to assist uninsured women living in poverty receive access to life-saving preventative screenings.

When it comes to women’s health, a gift of $25 helps ensure that a woman who can’t afford a mammogram will get one. It helps create a community of support and a place to turn for questions when an inner-city woman finds out she has breast cancer. A gift of $25 gives us the ability to provide tools that enable girls and women to become better health advocates. This gift changes everything.

Consider making a gift to HealthNet in honor or in memory of all the moms in your life. We all know the value of access to health care services, and I know that many of you care deeply about women’s health issues. So this Mother’s Day, when you’re contemplating which bouquet of flowers to buy, consider honoring your mom with a gift to HealthNet.

Click to make your $25 donation online or send a check by mail to HealthNet.  With each donation, we’re on our way to changing Indy. Let’s make our city a healthier place for moms everywhere!

Other suggestions on how to make a difference?  Have a fun Mother’s Day story?  Comment below.  Keep the conversation going!!

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“In my world, I think most people think the word cancer means death,” Irene said when talking about her experience.

After discovering the lump, her next step was to call her daughter, who then set up an appointment for an exam.  Through HealthNet’s Mammography Assistance Program, Irene was referred to Methodist Hospital to get a mammogram.

Uninsured women are less likely to be screened for breast cancer, causing their risk of dying from the disease to increase by 20%.

Rosa Alcazar with her mother Irene Lopez

Irene was lucky.  Her aunt had battled with breast cancer before, so she was in the habit of performing self-examinations and getting regular screenings and mammograms.

HealthNet was just the beginning of the journey for Ms. Lopez, and it was the relationship between our health centers and local hospitals that eventually led to her recovery. After speaking with Rosa and being referred to Methodist Hospital for her mammogram, Irene’s biopsy was also done at Methodist, further tests were done with an oncologist, her surgery was done at Wishard, and Irene’s 30 radiation treatments were done at Indiana University Hospital.

“I was very scared, but I had a lot of signs telling me that everything was going to be okay.  All of the support from the doctors, nurses, and staff, people who didn’t even know me helped me so much.“

Irene spoke about how she felt it was important for her to tell her story and to give her testimony so that others can learn from her experience.  The reality is that most patients who visit community health centers are low-income and may even be living in poverty which can only add to the stress of going through a difficult battle with cancer.  Many low-income women must choose between caring for themselves by getting regular screenings or getting regular check-ups for their children.

But HealthNet can help.

Irene was asked what she would say to any woman that may be starting their OWN journey with breast cancer, and her answer was this:

“Don’t be afraid.  Sometimes it feels like the world is shutting down, but if you look around, there are many doors that are opening.  Don’t ever lose faith in the doctors, nurses, or staff who are treating you, and with the support from your friends and family, you can make it through!”

Make a donation today that may help a woman in need gain access to a mammogram, visit our website and refer someone who needs direction to begin regular screenings, or simply spread the word on the importance of regular check-ups and mammograms.  Together, we can break down ALL barriers keeping women from staying healthy.

What about the thousands of women that do not have insurance?

There are also studies showing that uninsured women are less likely to be screened for breast cancer, causing their risk of dying from the disease to increase by 20%. But it is not just the limited access to quality care or the unavailability of insurance that prevents low-income women from receiving mammogram screenings. Cultural, social and educational barriers often times prevent these women from getting screened and receiving life-saving treatment. HealthNet is here to make sure those statistics change.

A breast health campaign that was recently launched,  called “Whatever you call’em, check’em”, sent postcards in both English and Spanish to 1,239 women living in our service areas. The mailing featured funny “names” that people call breasts but emphasized the serious message about the importance of a mammogram screening. The combination of “light heartedness” and the call to action worked! HealthNet received an overwhelming number of uninsured women calling to schedule appointments and get on track to better breast health.

You can help us further our work by donating $25 that can help provide a mammogram for a woman living at or below the federal poverty level.