The long-time WSAV anchor Tina Tyus Shaw has made a generous donation and is encouraging more to contribute to Tina’s Mammogram Challenge to help uninsured or under insured women get breast care
For years, Tina has been telling the stories of breast cancer survivors. Today, she’s making a personal pledge to help those who cannot afford a mammogram.
“I’ve seen how lives can be saved by a simple mammogram, and I believe that every woman should have access to them no matter her financial situation,” said Tyus-Shaw, who has served the viewers of the Coastal Empire for nearly 25 years. “That is why today I’m making a personal donation to the Telfair Mammography Fund at St. Joseph’s/ Candler and I’m challenging the community to do the same.”
The Telfair Mammography Fund has helped thousands of uninsured and under insured women get mammograms and other breast-health procedures. Last year, the mammography fund provided 617 mammograms plus dozens more ultrasounds, biopsies and other services.
For those services, the Telfair Mammography Fund paid out a total of $148,078.
After telling the stories of breast cancer survivors over the past 16 years through WSAV’s Buddy Check 3 reports, the need is clear,” said Tyus-Shaw. “We’ve seen cancer survivors suffer, but we’ve also seen the good that has come out of their journey.”
“Hearing their stories inspired me to help educate our community, and now I want to take that commitment to the next level,” said Tyus-Shaw. “Many women I have featured did not have insurance. That really bothered me. That’s why my husband, retired Army Sgt. James Shaw, and I wanted to do this together.” Tina’s Mammogram Challenge will help empower women and men to get help that they need and increase public awareness about the resources that are available. For more information, call Tina at 912-656-4699 or email ttyus@wsav.com. To donate to Tina’s Mammogram Challenge go to www.sjchs.org/tinaschallenge.