(Editor's Note: October is national Breast Cancer Awareness month, and St. Joseph’s/Candler, along with media partners the Savannah Morning News and WSAV, lead programming throughout the month as part of the Paint the Town Pink awareness campaign.)
Part of the saying “it takes a village,” certainly rings true when it comes to raising money for the fight against breast cancer. At least one local high school volleyball team and a local business owner are pitching in to do what they can to help.
Thirteen years ago, the volleyball team at The Habersham School started collecting money for breast cancer treatment in honor of a team mom who had been diagnosed with disease, explained Coach Susan Berry.
“The school was very, very new and the mom of two
of my players was a breast cancer survivor,” she recalled. “That year we had ‘Pink Night’ with proceeds going to (Telfair Pavilion’s) mammography fund.”
The mammography fund provides no-cost breast health services to uninsured and underinsured women (and men) throughout the Savannah areas, according to the St. Joseph’s Candler website.
“These services include screening and diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, MRIs, image-guided breast biopsies, surgical costs where appropriate and more. Last year the program offered mammograms to 469 women,” who likely would not have had the routine screening.
Funds raised by The Habersham School’s “Pink Night” adds to the effort. During what has become an annual event at the school, a breast cancer survivor gives a few remarks and money made from tickets, concessions and special T-shirt sales goes to the mammography fund, Berry explained.
“It now is a schoolwide effort, which is awesome because breast cancer hits close to home for many people,” she said, adding that this year’s Pink Night raised $3,357 for the mammography fund.
Livingood’s Appliance also is doing its part to assist with the Paint the Town Pink campaign. Last year, the company raised $11,000 with its “Clearance for a Cause” promotion during the month of October. The longtime local business is repeating the fund-raising effort this month.
The cause is near and dear to the heart of company president Phyllis Livingood, who is a breast cancer survivor.
“I’m clear, thank goodness,” she said. In 2023 Livingood was 73 when she was diagnosed and was surprised by the news. She underwent a mammogram and was taken aback when her ob/gyn called her with the results.
“That’s how it all began,” she said. Her treatment involved chemotherapy, radiation and a double mastectomy.
The cause at Livingood’s works this way: “Anyone who purchases a certain appliance that we’ve put on clearance will be donating to the effort,” explained Livingood,
At the end of the month a portion of the proceeds will be turned over to the mammography fund.
Livingood is amazed by the women and men who don’t undergo mammograms. She is checked routinely and advises everyone of a certain age to do the same.
Learn more about “Clearance for a Cause” at www.livingoodsonline.com
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah community rallies to fund breast screenings | Exclusive
