In an effort to put its mission into motion, Komen Northwest Louisiana is returning to Minden.
The breast health screening event, dubbed “Pink Ribbon Pop Up,” will be from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 11, for free screenings.
“The Pop Ups are a great way to not only showcase how fundraising directly benefits the local community, it also helps people in these areas put a face to Komen NWLA,” Lindsay Dean, NWLA executive director said.
The idea is to “pop up” in a targeted priority community at a high visibility location such as a grocery or discount store and provide breast cancer awareness education as well as clinical breast exams and mammograms, along with promoting the affiliate’s upcoming fundraising events.
Komen Northwest Louisiana is proud to provide funding and collaborates with Partners in Wellness Mobile Mammography Unit, St. Luke’s Episcopal Mobile Medical Ministry and Martin Luther King Health Center.
“It’s so encouraging to see faces light up when we walk into a dry cleaners or café and explain to the staff what Komen NWLA does and how they or friends and family members can benefit from the services our community grantees provide,” Kelley Matkins, NWLA mission coordinator, said.
No cost exams will be available without appointments for people who do not have health insurance. It’s also a great chance to stop, talk and share breast cancer-related experiences.
The affiliate staff has also noticed the public seems to be more open to discussions about breast health experiences at Pop Ups and offering insight into their community views and attitudes toward screenings and access to care, thus providing helpful information on how Komen NWLA can best serve Webster Parish.
It is hoped that by putting the mission in motion, people benefit from the services provided by the grantees working together.
Registration information for the Sept. 26 Race for the Cure to be at Shreve City in Shreveport will also be available Tuesday.
For more information, visit komennwla.org.