Angela Posey, MaryEllen Locher Breast Center outreach coordinator; Gina Bryan, volunteer; and Debbie Keith, MaryEllen Locher Breast Center outreach assistant, model the new Hats Off to Breast Health hats made by Mrs. Bryan.
Gina Bryan, a volunteer and breast cancer survivor, is on a mission to refresh hats used in the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center’s Hats Off to Breast Health educational program. All of the hats represent reasons why women put off getting a mammogram, such as Busy Bessie, modeled after a grandmother, full time worker and volunteer who believes she is too busy to take time for a mammogram. Others include Painful Pauline who is afraid that the exam will be very uncomfortable, Penny Pinching Pearl who doesn’t feel like she has the money to have a mammogram, Shy Shirley who is embarrassed to have a mammogram, and many more.
New hats designed by Mrs.
Bryan, include Sister Savannah, a white hat with pink ribbons and decorations to commemorate survivorship; Dense Debbie, a hat decorated with cotton to symbolize dense breasts and the calcifications that can appear on a mammogram; and a MaryEllen Locher tribute which includes accoutrements – microphone, #9, anchor, years of life, a wedding cake topper and more.
Officials said Hats Off to Breast Health is a fun way to address barriers to getting lifesaving mammography screening and is offered at health fairs, community organizations and churches. For more information about the program, call their outreach team at 423-495-4645.