Hope 4 You Breast Cancer Foundation gives $35,000 for mammograms

John Hacker, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·2 min read

Apr. 24—The Hope 4 You Breast Cancer Foundation gave $35,000 in grants to eight hospitals and health care foundations Tuesday at the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.

Foundation President Sharon Clark presented two donations of $10,000 each to the Freeman Foundation and Mercy Health Foundation, and six grants of $2,500 each to:

—The Cox Health Foundation of Barton County.

—Integris Health Foundation in Oklahoma.

—Labette Health Foundation in Parsons, Kansas.

—McCune-Brooks Healthcare Foundation in Carthage.

—The Mount Carmel Foundation in Pittsburg, Kansas.

—The Nevada Regional Medical Center Foundation in Nevada.

"I want to thank all the hospitals for your continued support of Hope 4 You and helping us with our mission to help in the fight against breast cancer," Clark said. "I've been a single parent and if I had discovered a lump when I was a single parent, but my son needed clothes or food, guess what I'm going to choose — it won't be to go get a mammogram because I couldn't afford it. That's where we come in."

Clark said the hospitals that receive money also help identify those in need of help.

"Thank you for identifying those in need of financial assistance for mammogram and breast imaging and helping the breast cancer patients get transportation to and from treatments because we're all volunteers," Clark said. "We don't have the staff to do that. The Four-State community, especially the schools, has been so generous in the support of Hope in their fundraising efforts."

Clark said the Foundation's money comes from a variety of schools and fundraisers, including Hope 4 You's own Race for Hope, set for Oct. 20 in downtown Joplin.

"And it's not just about the money, it's getting the word out there," Clark said. "If somebody sees a newspaper article and says, 'Oh my gosh, I haven't had a mammogram in a year, I've got to go,' it's not just about money, to me it's about awareness."