Painting Libby pink for breast health
<p>72-year-old Dennis Reisman running PIP 2015.</p>
<p>Dexter Williams. left, and 9-year-old Mylie Rayome right.</p>
<p>PIP 2015 with Shannon Ostrowski, left, Liz Whalen and Danielle Spillman.</p>
<p>Myresa Boulware with a pink pompadour and frames to match. PIP 2015.</p>
<p>Saturday was a Paint It Pink kind of day with Nikki Winslow, left, Dawn Williams and Sophia Winslow awaiting the 9 a.m. start.</p>
<p>Paint it Pink fun run with Jackie Mee, left, Tyler Mee and Cody Mee.</p>
Residents of Lincoln County took to the streets Saturday for the annual Paint it Pink Fun Run and fundraiser. According to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center marketing manager Kate Stephens, more than 100 participants were registered for the race as of Friday afternoon, with more trickling in prior to the Saturday start.
The money raised for Paint it Pink during all of the activities being held this month is kept local and earmarked to assist Lincoln County men and women facing issues of breast health and breast cancer. Since the Paint it Pink program’s inception in 2007, fundraising efforts have helped fund a new digital mammography machine at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center, as well as more than 170 exams for uninsured men and women in Lincoln County.
Stephens said the popularity of the event has prompted the hospital to continue it, even after accomplishing the initial goal of obtaining the new machine. Other businesses and community organizations have also jumped on board, which has provided more funds to assist Lincoln County residents with their breast health needs.
“These fundraising efforts were started by Cabinet Peaks Medical Center and Glacier Bank in an effort to raise money for a digital mammography machine at the local hospital, the month and its events were so popular, we decided to continue raising funds that would be given back to the people of Lincoln County. Since then, several additional community partners have joined us by starting their own fundraising events, asking their customers and employees for donations, and giving out of their own pockets,” Stephens said. “In 2014, because of the changes brought on the by the Affordable Care Act, the Paint It Pink program was expanded. Money will always be raised to continue to provide local uninsured men and women with free screening and diagnostic mammograms, as well as breast ultrasounds when necessary. However, the community has been so giving and gotten behind the cause so fiercely, that enough money has been raised to take the program a step further. Now, the mission of the Paint It Pink program is to raise money for the detection and treatment of breast cancer for the people of Lincoln County. Funds are used for free mammograms and ultrasounds, and additionally to help purchase equipment directly related to the detection and treatment of breast cancer, provide training for local professionals who help to detect and treat breast cancer, and to bring education about breast cancer detection and treatment to our community. All of the funds raised by the Paint It Pink program stay right here in Lincoln County.”