Breast Cancer Awareness
among Uninsured Hispanic Community
According
to a press release the Mission Green Light (MGL) is organizing
a dinner on Saturday, November 17, 2007 at the Stein Center,
Maryville Church in Des Plaines, Illinois as a “Day
of Celebration” to honor the 110 uninsured women who
have taken responsibility for their healthcare. MGL hopes
that City and State officials will honor the event with their
presence.
The press release states: MGL has developed a training program
for uninsured women to take responsibility of personal healthcare
by encouraging them to develop the habit of monthly Breast
Self-Examination (BSE). Hispanic women from 27 suburbs of
Chicago attended the training program which was organized
by doctors of the Advocate Medical Group—Lutheran General
Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. Dr. Charity Alikpala and
her team under the guidance of Dr. Greg Kirschner made the
program a part of their community outreach for the year 2007.
The women were examined and individually trained in BSE by
the doctors who provided a total of 48 hours of voluntary
service during the month of May and June 2007. Father Miguel
Martinez of Maryville Church in Des Plaines and Father Jack
Hurley of St. Cecilia Church in Mt. Prospect encouraged the
women to enroll in the program.
During the month of September 2007, the 110 women took a test
(30 questions true or false) about basic breast cancer and
self-examination. The women who pass the test and are willing
to educate other uninsured women in their communities will
become a part of Mission Green Light Volunteers Network for
Breast Cancer Awareness. The members of the network will have
two responsibilities. Firstly, to educate other uninsured
women between the ages of 18-34 in breast cancer awareness
and self-examination. Secondly, they will connect the uninsured
women who are eligible for free mammograms and Pap tests with
Illinois Breast & Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP). As
a major part of its operation to reduce the cancer related
mortality rate in Illinois, MGL is providing information and
promoting awareness about Illinois Breast & Cervical Program
(IBCCP) which provides free breast examinations and mammograms
for uninsured women age 40 and above, and free pelvic examinations
and Pap tests for uninsured women age 35 and above in the
State of Illinois. MGL is most grateful to the Illinois Department
of Public Health for allowing it to act as a voluntary ambassador
for IBCCP.
MGL is a nonprofit organization formed by a resident of Glenview
Terrace Nursing Home in Glenview, Illinois. Its objective
is to help the uninsured with free cancer screenings. MGL
aims to achieve its objective by providing information about
free cancer screening programs and by developing free cancer
educational programs and workshops for the uninsured community.
MGL is perhaps the poorest non-profit organization in the
country, without an office, even without a cell phone. Yet,
its determination to make a difference in the Community and
the State is second to none.
MGL requests individuals, small business, private organizations,
and corporations to support its efforts by making a donation
for its cause. Gifts donated for women will be raffled during
the celebration event. All donations and gifts are tax deductible.
For more information visit www.missiongreenlight.org.
MGL plans to train 500 uninsured and underprivileged women
in BSE techniques in the year 2008. Uninsured women interested
in enrolling in the training program should call (847) 657-
0715 or email to missiongreenlight@gmail.com
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