December 8, 2021
Each year, Boone Memorial Hospital (BMH) offers mammogram screenings at half-off throughout the month of October.
The West Virginia Breast Health Initiative (WVBHI) recognized Boone Memorial Hospital’s efforts.
“We were impressed with Boone Memorial’s outreach, education and marketing to encourage people to get screened,” said WVBHI Executive Director, Donna DeHart. “In addition to the 1/2 price mammograms, the BMH Radiology Department features a Mammo Boutique. The Boutique has oversized, comfy pink chairs, pink robes, pink coffee maker, and they even give goody bags to every patient throughout October to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month. When we saw the hospital’s dedication to breast health, we wanted to help,” DeHart added.
The WVBHI donated $10,000 to BMH last month from a grant they received through the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health. Funds are being used to provide mammogram screenings and other detection services to the underinsured and uninsured communities who are in need of basic breast health medical needs, including diagnostic testing services such as mammograms.
The WVBHI was established in 2018 when they saw a need for a statewide breast health organization. 100% of the funds raised in West Virginia stay in West Virginia.
“On average in West Virginia, 6 people will die every week from breast cancer,” explained DeHart. “With a family history of breast cancer, having a daughter, and losing 2 of my best friends from breast cancer in 2 years, I am very passionate about the work that WVBHI is doing in our local communities across WV. We like to support organizations like Boone Memorial, who we know will utilize funds to ultimately save lives.”
The mission of WVBHI is to raise awareness and fund breast cancer programs with an emphasis on increasing breast health education, financially assisting breast cancer screenings, facilitating patient navigation, and providing survivor services. The vision is to facilitate a community of breast cancer survivors from the moment of diagnoses by instilling them with help, confidence, knowledge of the process and kindness and guidance from those who have already journeyed the path.
“We are very appreciative to the WVBHI,” said Jeff Mosteller, Executive Director of BMH Ancillary Services. “The funding will help a lot of our patients.” In 2020, WVBHI distributed over $50,000 from their Misty Bennett’s Seeds of Hope Fund, throughout WV to increase breast cancer education and awareness, provide mammograms and diagnostics, as well as assist with transportation, lodging, utilities and support breast cancer survivors and their families.
“We are excited about this new partnership between BMH and the WVBHI,” said Angie Christian, BMH Chief Operating Officer. “We feel confident that together we can help more underinsured and uninsured people in the area. We share very similar goals and vision. We appreciate the support of the WVBHI and feel this partnership is one that will continue well into the future,” Christian concluded.
Pictured (left to right): Bryan Luzader, WVBHI Board VP; Donna Dehart, WVBHI Executive Director; Virgil Underwood, BMH Chief Executive Officer; Jeff Mosteller, BMH Executive Director of Ancillary Services; Tahnee Mullins, BSRT(R)(CT) – BMH Director of Imaging Services/Radiology; Melanie Runyon, RT(R)(M)(MR); Lora Ballard, RT(R)(M); Angie Christian, BMH Chief Operating Officer and Ray Harrell, BMH General Counsel and Chief Human Resources Officer.
