High Country Bras raises money for Women in Touch Fund

JEFFERSON — Ashe Memorial Hospital and the AMH Foundation hosted High Country Bras, a fundraising event, on Saturday, April 27, at Jefferson Landing Club.

More than 130 guests attended the event, which was designed to promote the importance of breast cancer screenings while raising money for the AMH Foundation’s Women in Touch Fund. Through the generosity of Ashe County donors, the Women in Touch Fund helps pay for screening mammograms for uninsured women who reside in Ashe County.

“High Country Bras was a successful endeavor to bring together the community in a unique way through sponsorships, ticket purchases, creating art bras and auction bidding to support the Women in Touch Fund,” AMH Foundation Director Becky Pearson said. “Individuals and businesses alike raised more than $21,000 to provide free mammograms for women who can’t afford them, and to build a support network for patients battling breast cancer.

During the festive fundraising event, guests enjoyed dinner, an art bra fashion show and live and silent auctions. The beautifully hand-crafted art bras were created by local artists, crafters and community members and modeled by breast cancer survivors whose inspirational stories were shared throughout the fashion show.

Mammograms are among the most powerful breast cancer detection tools available, and over the past five years, Ashe Memorial Hospital has performed more than 12,000 mammograms for local residents. One in eight women in the United States are at risk for developing breast cancer; and in 2024, an estimated 310,720 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, making it the most common cancer among women in the United States.

Every two minutes a woman in the United States is diagnosed with the disease. However, there is hope. When caught in its earliest, localized stages, the five-year survival rate is 99%.

“Women do not always get the breast cancer screenings they need,” Ashe Memorial Hospital Chief Nursing Officer JoAnn Smith said. “Lack of funds or understanding the importance of mammograms can deter screening. Through the kind hearts and togetherness of our gracious community, we were able to raise money for the Women in Touch Fund. This program helps women in need receive their mammograms. Breast cancer is out there year round, and so are our efforts to defeat it.”

Last year, Ashe Memorial Hospital unveiled its new state-of-the-art 3D mammography equipment, which is designed to provide high-quality 3D images while creating a more comfortable mammography experience for the patient. With the addition of the new technology, patients are now able to receive 3D mammograms, stereotactic breast biopsies and breast MRIs close to home.