Diane Byrd-Johnson of Molina Healthcare; Brenda Lever of Molina Healthcare; Teresa Rodges, Executive Director of the POH Riley Foundation; Dr. Lewis A. Jones, Jr., Director of Breast Imaging at Ingham Regional Medical Center; Dr. Sharon Mills-Wisneski, Oakland University School of Nursing; and Yvette Bing, Detroit's First Lady and Chair of the Sister & Sister Planning Committee.

More than 200 women are scheduled for a free mammogram through the POH Riley Foundation during the month of October— an accomplishment that has garnered the foundation applause from Detroit’s First Lady Yvette Bing.

"Breast cancer is very dear to my heart," said Bing, who attended the POH Riley Foundation’s 2^nd Annual Sister & Sister Health and Education Day October 11, 2009. "My sister died of breast cancer, so I understand the pain of losing a loved one. I also know that early detection could have saved my sister’s life. I’m hoping that with organizations like the Riley Foundation, we can provide more free mammograms to women in need."

The POH Riley Foundation celebrated Sister & Sister Health and Education Day in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by providing free mammogram screenings to underserved women in Oakland County.

The event was held at POH Regional Medical Center (POHRMC) to raise breast cancer awareness and educate women on proper breast health. Presenting Sponsors included Great Lakes Cancer Institute and Kellam & Associates. Molina Healthcare of Michigan served as the Platinum Sponsor.

Sharon M. Mills-Wisneski, R.N., Ph.D, Oakland University School of Nursing; and Lewis A. Jones Jr., M.D., Director of Breast Imaging at Ingham Regional Medical Center, served as the keynote speakers of the event.

Both Wisneski and Jones provided alarming statistics on breast cancer rates in Michigan, such as more than 6,500 women in the state will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women aside from skin cancer, and is the No. 1 cause of cancer death in Hispanic women. It is the second most common cause of cancer death in white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.

The American Cancer Society reports that an estimated 192,370 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the U.S. in 2009 and approximately 40,170 are expected to die from the disease.

"These numbers are truly unacceptable, and there are so many ways that each of us can make an impact," said Teresa Rodges, Executive Director of the POH Riley Foundation. "We know that if found early, breast cancer can be cured and that survival rates can be as high as 98% if breast cancer is diagnosed and treated in its earliest stages."

Not only throughout the month of October, but throughout the entire year, the POH Riley Foundation provides free mammogram screenings to low-income, uninsured and underserved women in Oakland County. Since the inception of the Free Mammogram Program in 2007, nearly 1,000 free mammograms have been provided.

To register for a free mammogram screening, call (248) 338-5608. To learn more about the POH Riley Foundation, visit www.pohregional.org or call (248) 338-5385.