Free mammograms will be provided to women in East Gainesville

Voleer Thomas
·2 min read
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A volunteer service organization and a cancer support and research center are teaming up together to provide free mammograms for women in East Gainesville.

The Beautiful Gate Inc. will host its MASS (Mammograms After Sunday/Spiritual Service) event at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Woodland Park Boys and Girls Club at 331 SE 20th Place.

Pamela Burnett, 62, founder of The Beautiful Gate, created the cancer support network in 2006. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40.

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After receiving treatment, she was determined to provide resources to other women to detect breast cancer early.

“Women need to attend because we take care of everybody except ourselves and they ignore everything in their body,” Burnett said. “We need them to take care of themselves in order for them to take care of their families.”

Burnett said the event is partnering with the Florida Health Department to use the Mary Brogan Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which makes it easy to get the breast and cervical cancer screenings doctors recommend.

The goal for MASS is to reduce late stage breast cancer diagnosis in uninsured women in the state of Florida by providing breast health education access to free mammograms.

In order to receive free mammograms, women must meet eligibility requirements.

The event will be hosted by the Gainesville Florida chapter of The Links Inc.

Bridget Boynton, health and human services chair for the Gainesville chapter of The Links Inc., said the organization partnered with the University of Florida’s Mobile Outreach Clinic to provide free mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, prostate cancer screenings, blood pressure tests and other screenings.

“We want the community to take advantage of this — not just free mammograms for women, but men can come and get prostate screenings and more.”

Florida Bridgewater-Alford, president of the local chapter of The Links, said the program is a great way to meet the needs of the community.

“When women get diagnosed early they can treat it early,” Bridgewater-Alford said. “We want to let women know that they can survive this deadly disease through screening frequently. Screenings will help them get to that success rate.”

All attendees must register online at www.thebeautifulgateincorporated.com to receive a swag bag after the presentation.

The first 20 women who register and attend their scheduled mammogram appointment will receive a Walmart gift card.

For more information about the event, email thebeautifulgateCSRC@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Free mammograms to be provided at event to be held in East Gainesville