Building Bridges: Breast network links uninsured women to treatment

As a kid growing up in the sixties, Jane Ferguson had never heard of breast cancer. So when a neighbor was diagnosed with the disease, she wasn't the only one jumping to conclusions.

"We all thought she was going to die; we didn't know what it was," said Ferguson. "But she didn't. She actually had a mastectomy and survived it."

Today, the key partner at Brighton Collectibles in the Shops at Willow Bend in Plano knows much more about breast cancer from her interaction with the store's customers.

"It's amazing to hear their stories," Ferguson said. "It has got to be overwhelming, but they always have the best attitudes."

Brighton has collected more than $3.9 million in donations nationwide in the past decade and in commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is offering a limited-edition bracelet for its Power of Pink campaign. Ten dollars from each sale will be contributed to the Bridge Breast Network in Dallas, a nonprofit organization serving underinsured or uninsured individuals diagnosed with breast issues in 16 counties throughout the Metroplex.

The Bridge Breast Network was founded in 1992 by a group of breast cancer survivors who wanted to help a breast specialist at Baylor University Medical Center known for donating her services to patients lacking the resources and insurance coverage for breast cancer treatment.

"The whole idea of this foundation was that no woman should suffer breast cancer due to lack of insurance," said Bridge Executive Director Terry Wilson-Gray.

Brighton is just one of many local businesses raising funds and awareness this month. In 2011 alone, there were 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer reported in women and 39,520 deaths from breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

Today, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States, according to the organization's website.

To be eligible for medical services through the Bridge, a client's income must not exceed 250 percent above the federal poverty level. The individual must also have a breast health issue, reside in one of the counties served and be uninsured or underinsured.

More than 600 men and women in Collin County have received medical services through the Bridge in the past three years. While the number of women with breast issues seeking help from the Bridge has increased, what is more concerning is the number of more young women walking through its doors.

"We have probably seen 15 to 20 women under 30 this year alone, and that is a large number of women for this age group," Wilson-Gray said.

In addition to financial donors like Brighton, the Bridge also partners with more than 200 medical providers who offer services for a fraction of the cost and their time for free.

"You know that saying, 'it takes a village,'" Wilson-Gray said. "In this case, it really does."

The cost of treating breast cancer can cost anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000, Wilson-Gray said. This is why campaigns like Brighton's bracelets are so important to the Bridge's cause. Frito-Lay is also a large local contributor, and various restaurants put forth 10 percent of sales on special days.

"Every dollar donated we leverage by 10 times in medical care, so if you take $100 donated that's $1,000. A surgery costs us anywhere from $14,000 to $20,000," Wilson-Gray said. "People don't understand it's a big impact. One hundred times tens, that's a women's surgery."

One of the first things Wilson-Gray tells her clients during their initial consultation is that the first three letters in the word "cancer" is "can." A survivor of ovarian, uterine and gall bladder cancer, Wilson-Gray knows the level of encouragement survivors of any kind of cancer depend on during their fight and that financial status should not be a roadblock to that lifeline.

"This is a ministry for me, a passion for me to make sure women are empowered," Wilson-Gray said. "There are always challenges in life and it's all about how you deal with."

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital -- whose Breast Center partners with the Bridge -- offers a free, confidential online breast cancer risk assessment tool at myhealthriskonline.com. For information on upcoming breast cancer awareness events at the Brighton Collectibles store, visit www. Brighton.com. For information on the Bridge Breast Network, visit www.bridgebreast.org or call 214-821-3820.

Current Rating: 0 of 0 votes!

Rate File: Select Rating: * ** *** ****

 Plano Apartments
 Plano Attorneys
 Plano Auto Dealers
 Plano Auto Parts
 Plano Auto Repair
 Plano Beauty Salons
 Plano Car Rental
 Plano Dentists
 Plano Doctors
 Plano Flowers
 Plano Hotels
 Plano Insurance
 Plano Loans
 Plano Mortgages
 Plano Movers
 Plano Pizza
 Plano Realtors
 Plano Restaurants
 Plano Storage
 Plano Tax Preparation
 Plano Travel
 Featured
 More...