The Hopkins County Breast Cancer Support Group and the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation held the second annual Celebrate "The Girls" event. In place of the group's regular meeting, the evening included entertainment, education and hands-on breast exams on prosthetics. The group gave away more than 10 door prizes, and each woman received a pink notepad and pen.
Stefany Walton, a mammography technologist at the Gillis Women's Center at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, spoke about mammograms and answered audience questions. Breast cancer survivor Cherri Gordan spoke about the free breast cancer supply closet and an upcoming fundraising tournament. Johanna Hicks, also a survivor, showed how to perform self-exams using a silicone prosthetic.
The support group meets the second Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Medical Plaza at 113 Airport Rd. The Foundation said it is offering free mammograms through the end of October and free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests through the end of December for uninsured Hopkins County residents. Mammogram questions can be directed to (903) 438-4325, and PSA questions to (903) 438-4543.