Bayer, UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, PA Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward Collaborate to Bring Breast Health Care and Awareness to Pittsburgh Region’s Rural and Underserved Communities

Public health collaboration includes free 3D mammography screenings events at local food banks.

Bayer, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital and Pennsylvania State Senator Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland County) are collaborating to address the health access gaps that disproportionally impact women in rural communities, specifically those associated with breast health care. The collaboration will provide information on health and food insecurities and will bring mammography breast cancer screenings to those in rural and underserved communities.

Arriving on the cusp of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this public health collaboration kicks off today with the first of two free mammography screening events and coincides with the Luke Bryan Farm tour coming to Smithton, Pa on September 28^th.

Ten percent of the nation’s physicians practice in rural areas¹. Additional health barriers negatively impacting rural women include proportionately fewer rural women receiving recommended preventive screening services for breast cancer ², as well as delayed care or no medical care due to cost (18.6%), and no health insurance coverage (23.1%)³. These types of barriers to care often result in late-stage health diagnosis.

This morning, pre-registered patients from nearby rural communities will bus from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to UPMC Magee-Women’s Imaging West Mifflin. A second group of patients will bus from the Westmoreland Food Bank to UPMC Magee Imaging, Monroeville on Wednesday, September. 25. All patients will receive a 3D mammography.

“Women in rural America are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer⁴ – a potential result of lower screening utilization,” Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward said. “As a breast cancer survivor, I know first-hand the importance of early detection and how it plays a critical role in women’s health. In fact, had more testing and screening options been covered by insurance when I was diagnosed, my breast cancer may have been caught sooner, or I may have considered a different option. It is also the reason why I championed legislation that eliminates all costs associated with supplemental imaging and BRCA-related genetic testing and counseling for high-risk Pennsylvanians. This first-of-its-kind law has saved lives, and thanks to these efforts led by Bayer and UPMC, it will continue to help many of our neighbors for years to come.”

The event on Wednesday aligns with World Dense Breast Day. Nearly half of all women aged 40 or older who get mammograms are found to have dense breast tissue⁵.

“Early detection of breast cancer through annual mammography examination is the single most important way to diagnose cancers early,” said Dr. Margarita Zuley, Chief of Breast Imaging at UPMC Magee. “Recognizing that it’s not always easy for patients to access care, we have important community outreach events, just like this, so we can provide breast screenings to everyone no matter where they live. Now, with Senator Ward’s legislation, we can also provide additional breast screening services such as breast MRI for those with dense breast tissue, where mammography may not be able to pick up the early cancers.”

With the support of the local food banks, Bayer and UPMC Magee also are spotlighting the distinct intersection between food and health insecurities, with the goals of disseminating this important breast health information and driving access to care to the Pittsburgh region’s most underserved communities.

After returning from the scheduled mammogram appointment today, visitors are invited to shop in The Market, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank's onsite pantry. Additionally, a food distribution will take place at the Westmoreland Food Bank to coincide with Wednesday’s event.

Take Care, Now Campaign with Country Superstar Luke Bryan

Today’s announcement is part of Bayer’s “Take Care, Now” campaign in partnership with country superstar Luke Bryan and Kroger, as well as Luke’s annual Farm Tour. The tour, sponsored by Bayer, will take place at six family farms across the country this month. This year’s campaign is focused in two main areas educating communities and facilitating access to nutritious food and vitamins and minerals, as well as the breast screening events leading up to the Smithton tour stop.

As part of this year’s “Take Care, Now” campaign Bayer, Luke Bryan and Kroger are hosting their multi-year #HerestotheFarmer initiative benefiting Feeding America during Farm Tour. Together they are asking fans to share the hashtag #HeresToTheFarmer on their social media channels. In support, Bayer will help provide 1 million meals* to people experiencing hunger through the Feeding America network of food banks. Since the partnership began in 2015, Bayer and Luke Bryan have donated more than 9 million meals to Feeding America food banks.

Looking ahead, Bayer and UPMC Magee will host additional events with a mobile 3D mammography screening van to provide better access to rural communities.

For more information on women’s health and the “Take Care, Now” campaign, please visit: www.bayer.us/takecarenow and www.upmc.com.

1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10356718/

2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10356718/

3: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22353960/

4: https://densebreast-info.org/for-patients/5-facts-you-should-know/

5: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24462273

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2023, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 47.6 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.8 billion euros.

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