Ford Motor Company Fund is teaming up with Hope Now International and mobile testing provider HealthFair to offer free or low-cost advanced mobile breast cancer imaging to women in the Northwest. This tour is the first initiative under Ford Operation Goodwill Northwest, a joint effort with area Ford and Lincoln dealers designed to expand Ford’s engagement with local communities in the region, especially in the areas of women’s health, teen driving safety, education and hunger relief.
“We are committed to helping meet the growing community needs in this region,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “Ford Motor Company has been investing in our communities for decades, and we plan to expand our community engagement efforts in the Northwest.”
The Ford Women’s Health Initiative Mobile Breast Imaging Tour will launch in Seattle in October (National Breast Cancer Awareness Month), and travel throughout the Northwest. The tour will provide women with breast screening using a 40-foot, state-of-the-art mobile coach equipped with the latest technology in 3D breast cancer imaging from HealthFair.
The safe, comfortable ultrasound procedure provides consistent, accurate 3D images, regardless of breast density or implants. More than 40 percent of women have dense breasts, which increases their risk for breast cancer. Working with local health and community organizations, this service will be offered to participating women in need on a free or low-cost basis.
“We’re very pleased to provide this service to our Pacific Northwest community,” said Michael Doherty, chairman of the Northwest Ford Stores group. “Some of our local Ford members have been personally affected by breast cancer, so this effort is important to us.”
According to the Oregon Health Sciences University Knight Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, and – although researchers do not yet know why – the Pacific Northwest has the highest rate of breast cancer in the United States.
While mammograms are instrumental in detecting breast cancer, studies suggest 15.5 million breast cancer cases go undetected or under-diagnosed every year.
Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community partners to advance driving safety, education and American heritage and community life. The Ford Motor Company Fund has operated for more than 60 years with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company. The award-winning Ford Driving Skills for Life program teaches new drivers through a variety of hands-on and interactive methods. Innovation in education is encouraged through national programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and university grants. Through the Ford Volunteer Corps, more than 27,000 Ford employees and retirees each year work on projects that better their communities in dozens of countries. For more information, visit http://community.ford.com.