The Mayors' Campaign Against Breast Cancer, launched in November 1997, is supported by a five-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and has the goal of saving lives through the early detection of breast cancer. Mayors may become part of the Campaign at any time and upon joining will receive materials suggesting local activities. If you would like more information about the Mayors' Campaign, please contact Richard C. Johnson, Director of USCM Health Programs, at 202-861-6753.

Santa Clarita, CA - Mayor JoAnne Darcy - PSA and Health Fair

In addition to Mayor Darcy's proclamation and her letter to the editor in support of NBCAM, Santa Clarita's public access television aired the Public Service Announcement (PSA), produced by USCM for The Mayors' Campaign Against Breast Cancer. City employees were encouraged to seek mammography through information about breast cancer screening received at their health fair.

Denver, CO - Mayor Wellington E. Webb - A City in Pink

With the strong support and active participation of Mayor Webb in Denver's NBCAM events, the city was awash in pink during October. Denver's First Lady, Wilma J. Webb, set the tone when she flipped the switch to "Light the City and County of Denver City Hall Building in Pink" as one of the activities leading up to the "Race for the Cure." Sponsored by the Susan G. Komen Foundation with 75 percent of the proceeds staying in the Denver Metropolitan area, the annual race started and ended in front of city hall this year. Businesses carried out the pink theme for breast cancer awareness by distributing pink ribbons or having pink lights, and Mayor Webb's office distributed pink ribbons to city employees and visitors. The Mayor's office also worked with the American Cancer Society on its NBCAM events.

East Hartford, CT - Mayor Timothy Larson - Mammograms for Underserved Women

Due to Mayor Larson's leadership and his public information campaign, enhanced by his televised wreath dedication ceremony, fifty women sought mammograms offered by East Hartford Community Health Care, Inc. Twenty-one of these women were uninsured and received free mammograms and pap tests through funding from the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. In addition, self-breast examinations were taught and materials distributed at the Farmer's Market health booth every Friday during October as well as in various neighborhood group sessions throughout the month. One hundred forty-eight women and thirteen men were reached through the latter activity.

Village of Schaumburg, IL - Mayor Al Larson - Free Mammograms for City Employees

With support from Mayor Larson, village employees received free mammograms, and American Cancer Society literature was distributed throughout the community to women over 65.

Gary, IN - Mayor Scott King - First Annual NBCAM Walkathon

With Mayor King's active support, the city ushered in 1999 NBCAM with Gary's first Annual Walkathon Against Breast Cancer, held to raise funds for indigent women to receive mammograms. Gary's First Lady, Irene Smith King, served as Honorary Chair and Grand Marshall of the event, and the city's corporations sponsored the $15 registration fees and t-shirts for all participants. Later in October two other major events followed this NBCAM kickoff: a public forum and a fundraising luncheon. At the forum, moderated by the regional director of the American Cancer Society, breast cancer survivors talked about their treatment and recovery, noting how well they were doing. The luncheon featured a nurse/survivor, who specializes in working with African American women, and the keynoter was Pat Collander, Managing Editor of the Times Daily. One hundred seventy-five men and women, including Mayor and Mrs. King, attended the $15 a head luncheon with the proceeds again supporting mammograms for underserved women. So as to encourage screening, on-site mammograms and exams were provided at both the luncheon and forum. The various activities were done in partnership with the Methodist Hospitals, the Gary Community Health Center, and the City of Gary Division of Health and Human Services.

Lynn, MA - Mayor Patrick J. McManus - Outreach through PSAs

In addition to Mayor McManus's proclamation, an estimated 88,000 households were reached by airing the radio and television PSAs (produced by USCM) for The Mayors' Campaign Against Breast Cancer. These outreach activities built on earlier programs, including the children's drawings promoting breast cancer awareness that were mass produced and distributed to local businesses to sell for $1. All $4,300 raised by the children's art went directly to the Lynn Cancer Association, an organization dedicated to treatment, public awareness, and further education for medical professionals.

Lansing, MI - Mayor David C. Hollister - Awareness in the Workplace

Mayor Hollister has long urged Lansing employers to promote breast cancer awareness in the workplace and continues to set the standard for local businesses. Working with the American Cancer Society (ACS), the mayor authorized a "Tell-A-Friend" phone bank in the lobby of city hall and took over one of the phones himself. He encouraged city workers to form teams for the ACS fundraiser "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" and also urged city employees to take advantage of the free mammograms that are available through their collective bargaining agreements. In getting the breast cancer awareness message out to the community, he presented his NBCAM proclamation to the city council during a televised meeting and wrote a letter to the editor.

Livonia, MI - Mayor Jack Kirksey - Mayors' Campaign PSA

In addition to issuing a proclamation, Mayor Kirksey aired on city cable television the PSA (produced by USCM) for The Mayors' Campaign Against Breast Cancer.

Minneapolis - Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton - Outreach to City Employees

Mayor Belton wrote a breast cancer awareness letter that was published in the employee newsletter that reaches more than 4,000 city workers. She also directed that her NBCAM proclamation be distributed at various breast cancer prevention and awareness activities throughout the city.

Brick, NJ - Mayor Joseph Scarpelli - "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer"

Mayor Scarpelli was a major supporter of Brick's "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer," bringing his own team of twenty to the American Cancer Society fundraiser. "Every mayor should bring a team out to these events to raise money and awareness," he said. ". . . If every municipality did this, think of what we could accomplish." Free mammograms were provided to city employees, and the mayor's NBCAM public information campaign included outreach to a new group this year - high school students because he considers them effective in raising awareness and getting involved in issues.

Clifton, NJ - Mayor James A. Anzaldi - Support for Coalition

In addition to his NBCAM and National Mammography Day proclamations, Mayor Anzaldi supported the expansion of an existing task force as well as further outreach to underserved women. To this end, the city joined the American Cancer Society's Breast and Cervical Cancer Task Force and publicized more widely the health department's pap clinic, which gives clinical breast examinations and low-cost mammogram vouchers.

Farmington, NM - Mayor William Standley - NBCAM Public Information Campaign

Mayor Standley focused his efforts on getting the message out to the public. He increased breast cancer awareness in Farmington through his press conference at city hall, proclamation, and letter to the editor.

Binghamton, NY - Mayor Richard A. Bucci - NBCAM Press Conference

Mayor Bucci held a press conference on October 12 to draw more attention to breast cancer outreach, education, and advocacy, and on-site mobile mammography was available in the MetroCenter courtyard after the event. The mayor's press conference was one of a series of NBCAM events, kicked off by "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer," a 5-mile walk on October 3. This fundraiser was followed by an October 4 televised breast cancer awareness phone bank, sponsored by Lourdes Hospital, to encourage viewers to call in for information packets. On October 5 the Binghamton Rotary featured breast cancer awareness speakers from YWCA ENCOREplus and the Broome County Health Department's Healthy Living Partnership. The third annual "Beauty of Survival" Fashion Show, a fundraiser for ENCOREplus, was held on October 31. The month was capped on November 2 at Lourdes Hospital with health care professionals viewing "Rachel's Daughters," a 90-minute video highlighting the search for the causes of breast cancer.

Pittsburgh - Mayor Tom J. Murphy - Health Fair Theme

Mayor Murphy directed that breast cancer awareness be the underlying theme of the employee health and benefits fair, an approach that underscored the availability of free mammograms for city workers.

Cranston, R.I. - Mayor John O'Leary - "When the Woman You Love Has Cancer"

Mayor O'Leary and the Rhode Island Breast Cancer Coalition co-sponsored a panel discussion at the Cranston Public Library titled "When the Woman You Love Has Cancer." Facilitated by Jim Willsey, Director of Pastoral Care at the Roger Williams Medical Center, the panel members included a psychiatrist, husbands, and partners who presented their perspectives. A second event was held specifically for senior women at the Cranston Senior Center with featured speaker Dr. Barbara Schepps, Director of the Anne C. Pappas Center for Breast Imaging at Rhode Island Hospital, joined by Marlene McCarthy and members of the Rhode Island Breast Cancer Coalition. The mayor also supported a breast cancer awareness presentation at Cranston Senior Services and proclaimed a National Mammography Day. "I strongly believe in breast cancer awareness as a health care initiative," said Mayor O'Leary. "This year over 40,000 women in the United States will die from breast cancer, including over 200 from Rhode Island. It's an issue that hits home for many of us."

Beaumont, TX - Mayor David W. Moore - Julie Rogers "Gift of Life" Program

In kicking off 1999 NBCAM with his proclamation and supporting related activities throughout the month, Mayor Moore again affirmed his support for the Julie Rogers "Gift of Life" Program - an initiative that supports free mammograms and access to treatment for women in Southeast Texas. He is a member of the "Gift of Life" advisory board and served as a presenter at the Program's 1999 fundraiser "A Lifesaving Affair," which this year featured breast cancer survivor and actress Diahann Carroll. Started in 1994 by Regina Rogers as a tribute to her late mother, Julie Rogers, a breast cancer survivor, "Gift of Life" is a cooperative effort of Memorial Hermann Baptist Hospitals, the Julie & Ben Rogers Cancer Institute, the University of Texas Medical Branch Cancer Stop Program, and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The Program has provided more than 1,850 free mammograms to women in Southeast Texas and impacted the lives of thousands more through its educational outreach efforts. Mayor Moore also supported two breast cancer awareness presentations for city employees, and "Gift of Life" arranged for a mobile mammography van to be stationed for seven days during October at five strategic locations throughout Beaumont to provide free mammogram screenings. His interest in public health issues has led to his appointment as the current Chair of the Health and Human Services Standing Committee of the Conference of Mayors.

Lubbock, TX - Mayor Windy Sitton - NBCAM Celebration and the Longterm Effort

Lubbock's 1999 NBCAM celebration built upon the city's ongoing promotion of breast cancer awareness. For the fifth consecutive year Lubbock's NBCAM highlight was "Race for the Cure," with Mayor Sitton opening the event and an estimated 3,400 persons participating in the 5K run or 1 mile walk. In a more formal ceremony at city hall on October 1, Mayor Sitton proclaimed NBCAM, hung a wreath and gave special recognition to "Tell a Friend Friday," making calls along with survivors and others to remind friends to get their annual mammograms. Joining the mayor at the wreath ceremony was Catherine Ronaghan, M.D., F.A.C.S., Medical Director of the Arrington Comprehensive Breast Center. Dr. Ronaghan, who is also an Associate Professor of Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, emphasized the importance of breast cancer awareness.

City employees received the free mammograms that were also offered to underserved women in the community. Lubbock's ongoing "Chain of Prevention" initiative includes a billboard mass media campaign and an outreach program aimed at local junior highs, high schools, universities, and underserved neighborhoods. Recently, members of the City of Lubbock's Health Education Team conducted a door-to-door educational survey in these neighborhoods and provided a mammogram coupon to the women they visited.

Various partners have worked with the City of Lubbock and its health department to make all these events and activities possible, including among others: Susan G. Komen Foundation, Lubbock Chapter; American Cancer Society; Texas Tech School of Nursing; and the Texas Department of Health. As Mayor Sitton concludes: "The City of Lubbock has made a strong effort over the past years to help women in our community understand and realize the seriousness of breast cancer, and that early detection is possible and available to all women in our community."

Burlington, VT - Mayor Peter Clavelle - First Annual NBCAM Fair

With the help of a new alliance - the City of Burlington, the Vermont State Department of Health, Fletcher Allen Health Center, and Ladies First (a state initiative) - Mayor Clavelle announced at a press conference that the first annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month Fair would be initiated during 1999 NBCAM. Through Ladies First, the community was also able to expand efforts to screen low-income, uninsured or undersured women ages 40 to 60 years.

Wheeling, WV - Mayor John W. Lipphardt - WV Breast Cancer Awareness Day

An estimated 90,000 persons were reached through Mayor Lipphardt's televised NBCAM proclamation, part of his expanded public information campaign for breast cancer awareness. He was also the guest speaker at the WV Breast Cancer Awareness Day Ceremony on October 4. The mayor's promotion of the WV Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program - supported by funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - complements the outreach to underserved women that was accomplished primarily through radio and television PSAs during NBCAM.