Komen Michigan is partnering with Propane Company Crystal Flash to expand breast health education and resources in rural counties across Michigan.
During their annual Powerfully Pink Luncheon at the JW Marriott on Thursday, Komen Michigan announced the launch of “Fueling the Cures” an initiative to reduce breast cancer deaths for those who live outside of city limits.
“The fueling the cures initiative is an order to bring education as well as screening mammograms and eliminating barriers to our rural communities,” Tanya Horan, the Vice President of Development at Komen Michigan said.
Horan says so many women in rural communities never come into the city for a mammogram due to the language and transportation challenges they face.
"So imagine how people would feel if there is a language barrier, a transportation barrier, and then when you finally get to a place there are these huge parking ramps, and it feels completely overwhelming. So what we want to do at Komen, is eliminate those barriers and bring access to care to them,” she said.
The Fueling the Cures initiative will begin with Crystal Flash providing educational materials when delivering propane to over 10,000 rural customers. Horan said Komen will then dispatch mobile busses equipped to provide on-site mammograms to women in need.
“So first we’re going to educate, and then number two we are going to bring the mobile mammogram bus into these communities to make sure that once they have the education about the importance of it, that they actually have access to get the mammogram,” Horan said.
According to Komen Michigan’s 2015 Community Profile, if women in rural communities received proper screenings and treatment, they could save approximately 275 lives each year.
Komen Michigan is around $83,000 short of their needed capital for the mobile busses. Horan stressed that money raised through other Komen fundraising avenues do not support 'Fueling the Cures.' Those who want to make a donation can do so on the Komen website.
