October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, and local businesses and individuals can join the fight against breast cancer simply by partnering with the McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation. Thanks to generous donors, the Foundation is able to help provide life-saving mammograms, biopsies, and follow-up ultrasounds to women in northern Michigan who are unable to afford them.
“The wonderful thing about these funds is that they stay right here in northern Michigan and support our friends, neighbors, and coworkers who may be struggling to afford these essential tests and services,” said Patrick Schulte, Vice President and Chief Development Officer at McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation. “With your support, local women and men get the care they need to help them succeed in their fight against breast cancer.”
Two funds at the Foundation honor women who battled breast cancer. Friends of Kathleen Jontz established the Kathleen Jontz Breast Health Fund in honor of how passionate she was about children not losing their mothers to breast cancer. Last year, gifts to the Kathleen Jontz Breast Health Fund provided nine patients with digital mammography screenings, 159 patients with follow-up biopsies, and 9,080 patients received mammograms with the comfort of a Bella Blanket purchased from this fund. In addition, the fund purchased equipment and educational materials.
The Kim Monthei Breast Cancer Fund was established in memory of Kim by her family and M&M Plumbing Heating/Cooling Inc., to provide uninsured and underinsured women and men in Cheboygan County with access to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer.
This year, the McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation hopes to raise even more funds in support of breast health in our community.
How You Can Help Women
There are many ways that businesses can get involved in bringing these much-needed services to local women. Businesses can donate a portion of their sales to the fund, match employee donations, ask customers for a small donation of $2-$5, or ask customers to round up on their purchase and donate the extra amount to the Breast Health Fund at McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation. Some organizations choose to have a Blue Jean Day where employees pay $5 for the privilege of wearing jeans to work. Other businesses hold a company-wide Pink Day, during which employees are encouraged to wear pink and donate. Any one of these options is a great way to show support for breast cancer and to encourage employee and customer involvement as well.
Every gift will help a co-worker, family member, friend, or neighbor who may not have the means to receive the diagnostic testing needed, and all the money raised stays here in northern Michigan. If you or your business would like to participate in Breast Cancer Awareness Month, fill out a simple registration form at http://bit.ly/2x2QCQT to let the Foundation know of your involvement.
The Foundation will acknowledge all participating businesses on the McLaren Northern Michigan Foundation Facebook page. For more information on how to get involved call (231) 487-3500 or email mary.grace.otis@mclaren.org. To donate directly to the Foundation online, visit http://bit.ly/2k9vpDu.