Nor-Cal Think Pink aims to boost awareness of breast cancer, and enhance early detection through community collaboration.
Established in 1996, Nor-Cal Think Pink is a community effort to promote breast cancer awareness. Early detection is the best defense against breast cancer. When caught and treated early, breast cancer has a 98% cure rate. Breast cancer can strike anytime: young and old, family history or no family history, healthy and unhealthy women. Breast cancer does not discriminate. It is our hope that through advocacy and outreach education with our surrounding Northern California communities (Shasta, Siskiyou, Modoc, Plumas, Tehama, and Trinity Counties), women will recognize the importance of annual mammograms, monthly self breast exams, and other early detection tools. We invite you to join us in our mission by supporting Think Pink and helping to spread the word about the importance of early detection.
It is the hope of Think Pink to secure donations from local businesses and individuals as well as grant money to continue to educate women and men about the importance of breast cancer awareness, annual mammograms and self breast exams.
Early Detection Saves Lives
The campaign originated in 1996 in Northern California with three individuals: Dr. Michael Figueroa, Oncologist of Solace Cancer Care (previously Cancer Care Consultants), Carol Lake of the American Cancer Society – Northern California Unit, and Melody Christenson of MD Imaging (and retired from Solace Cancer Care) in Redding, California. The campaign began with just 500 free bags being handed out to the public. Today, up to 40,000 Think Pink Bags and Breast Cancer Awareness Calendars and are distributed to over 30 surrounding communities each year on Think Pink Day!
Image courtesy of Dr. Adam Attoun from MD Imaging
Think Pink Bags
Each Think Pink Bag contains educational materials such as:
- Breast Cancer Awareness Calendar
- Breast Self-Examination Instructions
- Breast Cancer Resources (found inside the Awareness Calendar)
Each Think Pink bag also contains pink gift items to help everyone remember to Think Pink and raise awareness of breast cancer and the importance of early detection. Examples of past items include Think Pink antenna ball, pink pens, hairbrush, and more. Each year various businesses donate different items to add to the educational mission.
Beyond the Bag
Breast cancer is not just one day a year. In 2016, Nor-Cal Think Pink launched the Beyond the Bag Initiative to educate women and men in the North State of the importance of early detection throughout the entire year. The annual Pretty In Pink Prom fundraising event was created to raise monies solely for this new program.
Mobile Mammography
In 2018, Beyond the Bag hosted its first No-Cost Mobile Mammography Event in Fall River Mills, CA, to be followed in 2019 by Mobile Mammography events in Alturas, Fall River, Shingletown, and Chester. In 2023 with funding from a Sierra Pacific Foundation Grant, we were able to hold a Mobile Mammography event in the fire ravaged town of Greenville.
Community Events
Nor-Cal Think Pink hosts breast cancer education booths at community events & health fairs providing education materials throughout the year.
Breast Cancer Detection Fund
In 2023, Nor-Cal Think Pink took over the Breast Cancer Detection Fund from the Soroptimist International of Redding when they retired their chapter after 76 years. Soroptimist International of Redding held their first Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon in 1998. Through the years, money raised at the luncheon funded the Breast Cancer Detection Fund. The fund assisted hundreds of women and men in Shasta and Trinity Counties who could not afford necessary screening for breast cancer. NCTP is honored to continue this program in alliance with MD Imaging, and keep all funds local. The Breast Cancer Detection Fund is an allocated funding source to assist anyone who does not have adequate insurance which would cover breast cancer detection screening or other breast cancer diagnostic services. If you have been putting off early breast cancer detection practices due to a lack of adequate insurance, contact MD Imaging or Nor-Cal Think Pink today!