Thanks to a massive push for breast cancer awareness month in recent years, pink is almost as ubiquitous in October as orange. All month, hospitals and health systems across the country have been doing their part to promote early detection by publicizing mammograms, handing out breast-exam shower cards, and sponsoring breast cancer organization walks.
And every year a few truly stand out from the pink pack. These are the three most innovative breast cancer awareness efforts I've seen this month.
Dragon Boat Race for a Cure
For the past four years, St. Rose Dominican Hospitals in Henderson, NV, have sponsored the "Rose Regatta," a now famous dragon boat race on Lake Nevada to raise money for breast cancer research, as well as promoting awareness and the importance of early detection.
If you, like me, aren't familiar with dragon boat racing, it's an ancient tradition that began in China hundreds of years ago. Today, the boats are vividly colorful 40- to 50-foot long racing canoes, decorated with elaborate Chinese designs and carved dragon mastheads.
Each dragon canoe has a crew of 20 paddlers, a drummer to coordinate strokes, and a coxswain to maintain course. Be sure to check out the photos from this year's race.
This year, the event was held on October 13 and drew more than 3,500 attendees and participants, including 68 teams from Nevada, California, Colorado, and Canada.
All proceeds support Dominican's R.E.D. Rose Program that provides clinical breast exams, mammograms, ultrasounds, surgical consultations, biopsies, patient navigation and financial assistance for uninsured and underserved women and men.
With this unique race, Dominican Hospitals has turned a breast cancer awareness fundraiser into a beloved community event that people mark their calendars for. In the world of healthcare events, you can't beat that.
"Blow Away Breast Cancer" rally
On October 19, Nyack (NY) Hospital hosted its second annual "Blow Away Breast Cancer" rally, a pinwheel-themed event to raise awareness for the disease. Last year, rally attendees planted a pinwheel for each person they knew affected by breast cancer.
This year, the hospital added a twist by hosting a pinwheel-inspired bakers' battle, in which nine local bakeries participated. Check out a video of the event on the local Patch News page.
Once again, pinwheels were available for attendees to plant in honor of a loved one battling the disease. The hospital also partnered with a local grocery store, which sold pinwheels in exchange for donations, and a local restaurant, which hosted a "Blow Away Breast Cancer" 5K race.
Funds raised go toward helping the medically underserved receive education and screenings at Nyack Hospital's Breast Center. The fundraising goal this year was $10,000.
Like Dominican Hospitals, Nyack Hospital used its community connections to get the whole neighborhood involved. It's a safe bet that most residents have seen at least one piece of related promotional this month.
High-tech breast risk assessment tool
El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, CA, launched a comprehensive high-risk breast program this month, featuring a tablet-based assessment for patients. The program is aimed at the 3—6% of the mammography population that is considered high-risk.
The program begins with Breast Health Center mammogram patients completing the risk assessment via electronic tablet while they wait for their appointment. Physicians share the assessment results, along with their mammogram results, with patients and the patient's referring physician.
All who identify as high-risk are contacted by a nurse within a week to discuss additional screening options such as genetic counseling and BRCA genetic testing.
The Breast Health Center has also recently adopted Volpara, breast density measurement software that helps radiologists assess breast density more objectively and determine who might benefit from additional screening.
The program also uses advanced diagnostic equipment, including one of the most powerful breast MRIs available and a new 3-D breast ultrasound. The hospital says it is the first hospital in Northern California to offer the advanced 3-D screening option.
Launching this tablet-based risk assessment tool and high-risk breast program during breast cancer awareness month was a smart move on El Camino Hospital's part. This tactic is worth considering for other organizations, especially those that are budget-challenged, as the national breast cancer organizations basically do the initial awareness for you during October.
Once the topic is already top-of-mind for patients, it's the best time to hit them with your organization's services and specific messaging.
Marianne Aiello is a contributing writer at HealthLeaders Media.