Thanks to the extraordinary support of Miracle Match for Life, nearly 40 medically underserved Southeast Texas women received free preventative health screenings, clinical breast exams and mammograms from the Gift of Life.
Founded by BASF TOTAL Petrochemicals and Total Port Arthur Refinery in 2002, this synergistic partnership strives to educate and heighten awareness for bone marrow and blood donations, cancer screenings and cancer prevention in Southeast Texas, with a special emphasis on at-risk African-American, Native American and Hispanic communities.
Since 2003, the Gift of Life, Gulf Coast Marrow Donor Program and LifeShare Blood Centers have annually benefited from the proceeds of the Miracle Match for Life golf tournament. This financial impact has helped the Gift of Life make available more than 950 free mammograms for medically underserved Southeast Texas women, extending the lives of eleven individuals who were diagnosed with breast cancer and navigated into treatment. In addition, Miracle Match for Life has contributed to thousands of free Gift of Life prostate cancer screenings, helping extend the lives of 69 men.
The Gift of Life is making a real difference in our community. I’m so grateful to this organization and the other groups that support it for making available these free screenings that I could not otherwise afford. – Gift of Life client at a Miracle Match for Life-sponsored van site
At this year’s Miracle Match for Life-sponsored van site at Christian Faith Missionary Baptist Church, the Gift of Life, through its medical collaboration with the Port Arthur Health Department healthcare representatives, provided preventative healthcare screenings, including blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol. Education regarding breast cancer, skin cancer, tobacco prevention and nutrition was also provided to encourage healthy lifestyle practices that reduce the risk of disease. Miracle Match for Life’s generous support of Gift of Life preventative healthcare initiatives greatly enhances the community’s health and well-being.
The Gift of Life is also fortunate to have the support of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, a program that strives to increase awareness of the lifesaving benefits of early detection of breast cancer. For six years, the Gift of Life has benefited from funding through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade’s Breast Health Outreach Program (BHOP), which funds 56 community outreach and breast cancer screening programs nationwide in an effort to link medically underserved women to breast health education and screening services. Low-income, under-insured, and other marginalized populations often need targeted, customized approaches to help them obtain regular mammograms and clinical breast exams. Through the Avon BHOP, the Gift of Life is empowered to offer these lifesaving services throughout seven Southeast Texas counties.
With the support of Miracle Match for Life, Avon BHOP and other generous donors, the Gift of Life has helped extend the lives of more than 275 Southeast Texans who have been diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer and treated through its efforts.
