Fundraiser aids breast-cancer prevention
This may have been the fourth year in Taylor for Lone Star Circle of Care’s Texas Mamma Jamma Ride, but enthusiasm for breast-cancer prevention and services is stronger than ever.
On Saturday, Sept. 21, hundreds of riders, volunteers and community members descended on Murphy Park, many sporting their team
jerseys and wearing pink-ribbon accessories, to raise funds for LSCC’s Big Pink Bus, a mobile mammography unit that provides free and low-cost mammograms to underserved women across Central Texas.
“We are very excited about the ride this morning for the Big Pink Bus because it will allow hundreds of people to not only give their own resources, but also to take part in the community that’s supporting early detection of breast cancer,” said Susan Dawson, an area entrepreneur and stage 4 breast cancer survivor who helped launch the bus in 2021. “The Tenacious Turtles is our team, and we are, I think … one of the top sponsors this year. We didn’t quite beat Samsung (Austin Semiconductor), but we are close.”
The Samsung team raised about $30,000 among 28 riders, said spokeswoman Michele Glaze.
Since 2021, the Big Pink Bus has provided 5,500 mammograms to area women and assisted more than 800 of them with diagnostic services. Organizers said the Mamma Jamma has raised about $1.3 million since the bus was launched, and for this year, it has already brought in about $250,000 of its $575,000 goal for when the campaign ends in November.
“Women need access to early detection of breast cancer,” said Carla Mobley, “LSCC Treasured Chests” team captain and breast-cancer survivor of seven years. ”The mobile mammography bus is more convenient and gives more access to mammograms, and that is what this is truly all about.”
She added, “And not only are we providing the mammography, we are navigating them through that process, and we are helping them if they happen to have any type of diagnosis. So this is a critical and crucial part of Lone Star, and we are on our game in making sure that all of our patients have everything they need, especially mammograms.”
At the event, riders of all skill levels participated in four different courses, ranging from 15 to 70 miles, with staggered starts, allowing everyone to finish at a similar time.
Throughout the day, country-music singer Garrett Pekar also performed.
As in years past, many riders, volunteers and spectators took part to support loved ones struggling or who had lost the battle with breast cancer.
Adriene Bailey said she traveled all the way from Denver to participate in support of Dawson for the first time this year — though she had donated previously.
“I am just a huge admirer of my friend, Susan, who has done so much for people who need access to breast cancer screening,” Bailey said. “And it’s just saving people’s lives. People who we would otherwise lose … if they didn’t have access.”
During the start of the 25-mile ride, District 3 City Councilman Kelly Cmerek also shared his family’s own struggles with the deadly disease.
“Early prevention is still probably the most important way to beat the enemy in the battle against breast cancer,” Cmerek said. “I think about my wife’s mother we lost 31 years ago to breast cancer. I think about my mother we lost 17 years ago to breast cancer, and I think if they had had access to this type of free care, they may still have been here today.”
He also told the crowd, “So what you are doing matters, and the city of Taylor is proud of every single one of you and so thankful for everyone here today.”
To see video of the event, visit the Taylor Press Facebook page at facebook. com/GoTaylorTx/.
