One in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer – a staggeringly high number. Yet not every diagnosis is created equal; the earlier the cancer is caught, the better the outlook for the patient. That is why Franciscan Health hosted Tickled Pink on Thursday, August 19, a night designed to inspire women to schedule mammograms with a blend of education and comedy.
Hosted at Blue Chip Casino’s Stardust Event Center, Tickled Pink featured a free dinner, drinks, health screenings, and a question & answer session with expert providers from Franciscan Health’s Woodland Cancer Care Center, all capped by a comedy show from Tracy DeGraaf, a breast cancer survivor and mother of five.
“I was diagnosed in 2015, so I had to take a break from comedy and go through my journey,” DeGraaf said. “Once I was healed, I thought 'what better audience than women who need to take care of themselves?' My job tonight isn’t about the comedy, it’s about getting women to sign up for their screening – that’s the whole goal, to use comedy to help them relax and feel good, before hitting them with a message about how much they matter to a lot of people.”
Franciscan Health offered on-site mammogram sign-ups, and anyone who scheduled also received a free Vera Bradley ID case. Tickled Pink is an annual tradition for Franciscan Health, and DeGraaf was originally scheduled to perform in 2020, but COVID-19 ultimately led to it being rescheduled for 2021. Stephanie Nichols, System Marketing Director, Oncology for Franciscan Alliance, was thrilled to welcome a full-house for the event.
“I know people have put off cancer screenings because of the pandemic for various reasons, so we’ve seen a decline in screenings at our hospitals across the board. That was really scary because cancer didn’t stop for the pandemic,” Nichols said. “I’m very excited to see so many women out here tonight because it’s such a great reminder that these screenings are one of the most important things you can do to be here for your loved ones.”
Tickled Pink always generates a surge in screenings. Dr. Naina Mahngar, M.D., an oncologist for Franciscan Health, noted that it should not be surprising to see a dash of levity be a powerful motivator in an often morbid field.
“I think I get to experience a lot of miracles and lovely moments in people’s lives,” she said. “When cancer effects someone, it effects their whole family so initially it can be a kind of morbid conversation. Yet, to survive and thrive, it is so important to stay positive and look at the bright side of every situation. I’ve learned a lot from my patients and just how much positivity they have in their life, how they appreciate laughing at the small things, and put hope and humor into the process.”
Franciscan Health also provided information on the basics of breast cancer, how it works, and signs to look for. For those worried about the cost of a mammogram, they also offered information about a program, organized by the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust. The program provides grants to low-income women (up to 350 percent over the poverty line) by fundraising through state-wide breast cancer awareness license plate sales.
“You can still make quite a bit of money and qualify for this grant,” said Tina (Christine) Sandilla, RN/Breast and Lung Navigator at Franciscan Health Michigan City’s Breast Care Center. “The Trust knows that between a car payment and mammogram, most people are going to choose the car payment – so they don’t want people to need to make that choice.”
To learn more about Franciscan Health, and to schedule an appointment or mammogram visit www.franciscanhealth.org. To learn more about the mammogram grants for low-income individuals, contact Christine Sandilla at 219-877-1981, or christine.sandilla@franciscanalliance.org.
