Dec. 17, 2015 | UAMS had something to cheer about Dec. 10 when the Perryville High School cheerleaders donated $1,000 in support of its mobile mammography program.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the cheerleaders sold pink hair extensions at their football games, with a goal of raising $1,000.
“We wanted the money to help women like those in our community. When one of the cheer moms mentioned the MammoVan as an option for us to support, we all agreed this was a great choice. The girls were very excited to make this donation,” said Jamie Chambliss, Perryville High School junior cheer coach.
The MammoVan mobile mammography unit provides screening mammograms in 26 Arkansas counties that lack FDA-approved certified mammography facilities, among other locations in the state. It is outfitted with the most advanced digital mammography equipment and is staffed by a certified mammography technologist and a technical assistant.
“We are so grateful to these young women for making a difference in their community. Their donation will help provide screening mammograms for women across Arkansas who otherwise may not have access to this important health care service,” said Sharp Malak, M.D., M.P.H., a radiologist and assistant professor in the Department of Radiology in the College of Medicine and Department of Epidemiology in the College of Public Health.
The donation was presented to Carrie Cochran-Raglan, program manager for the MammoVan, at the Perryville basketball game against Mayflower on Dec. 10.