Hope 4 You Donates $5,000 to Freeman

Joplin, MO – Freeman Health System is thankful for a $5,000 donation from the Hope 4 You Breast Cancer Foundation. Funds will support the Helping Friends Mammogram Fund, which provides a free mammogram to women who would otherwise be unable to afford one.

The donation continues a 12-year tradition of giving by Hope 4 You. To date, Hope 4 You has given a total of $98,000 to the Helping Friends Mammogram Fund.

“Mammograms are a very cost-effective, easy and reproducible way to detect breast cancer at an early stage, when it is most curable,” said Dr. Alan Buchele, Freeman Women’s Health Center Medical Director.

However, offering a mammogram through the Helping Friends Mammogram Fund is only the first step in making sure patients get proper diagnosis and treatment.

“If someone just comes in for a free mammogram, has an abnormal study and doesn’t have somebody to follow up, it leaves them without somewhere to turn,” said Dr. Buchele. “Mammograms don’t detect all breast cancers. Some are better detected by a physical exam. That’s why it’s important to have a thorough breast exam by a trained professional in addition to a good quality mammogram.”

Over the past two years, donations to the Helping Friends Mammogram Fund have helped provide mammograms and diagnostic screenings to more than 200 area women and have also helped in expanding comprehensive breast care services at the Wes & Jan Houser Women’s Pavilion.

Visit www.supportfreeman.com to donate or to find more information on the Helping Friends Mammography Fund.

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About Freeman Health System

Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2020, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers. U.S. News & World Report named Freeman Health System the Best Hospital in Southwest Missouri for 2020-2021. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 80 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services and women’s services. Additionally, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.