We Made History, Again!

The 2015 PA Breast Cancer Coalition Conference was one for the history books. Not only did we have a day focused on education, empowerment and advocacy, we welcomed major news from PA First Lady and PBCC Honorary Chair Frances Wolf. Mrs. Wolf announced that 3D mammograms are now required to be covered by the insurance companies for women in Pennsylvania. The 3D cutting-edge mammogram that was costing $60 to $600 for some insured women is now available at no cost.

Big, BIG news! Pennsylvania is now the first state in nation to require coverage for 3D mammograms, effective now. The PA Breast Cancer Coalition would like to thank Governor Tom Wolf, First Lady Frances Wolf and Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller for making this life-changing milestone possible for women in Pennsylvania!

The Conference had other surprises in store for guests and awardees alike. We honored outstanding triple-negative breast cancer expert and researcher Dr. Edith Mitchell from the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson University Hospitals with our prestigious Potamkin Prize. PA Rep. Matt Baker won a Pink Ribbon Award for his commitment to women's health and our Breast Density Notification Act, and Dr. Wendie Berg of Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC received a Pink Ribbon Award for her tremendous work on the issue of breast density. The PA Breast Cancer Coalition surprised Dr. Berg with a $50,000 Extraordinary Opportunity Grant to move forward with her research studying the accuracy of ultrasound vs. 3D mammograms for women with dense breasts.

Those are only a few of the day's highlights. We enjoyed spending the day with you! If you haven't already done so, please take 2 minutes to fill out this survey to ensure next year's Conference is even better. You will automatically be entered to win a PBCC prize pack!

Thank you for participating in our historic 2015 PBCC Conference!

Next Steps: Take Action on Senate Bill 842 for Dense Breast Screening Insurance Coverage

PBCC and PA Sen. Bob Mensch need your help to pass legislation requiring insurers to cover MRI and ultrasound screenings for women with dense breasts

With your help, we passed the Breast Density Notification Act requiring mammography centers to notify women of their breast density. Now, we need your help again on Step 2: Senate Bill 842. This new legislation will require insurers to cover the cost of ultrasound and MRI for women with dense breasts who may need additional screenings.

Women like Mary Beth Day. Mary Beth has extremely dense breasts. Plus, she is adopted and has no knowledge of her family's medical history. Since we know dense breast tissue can hide tumors on a mammogram, Mary Beth asked for an MRI. She never got one. Even with insurance, the MRI would have cost her $500.

Take action. Ask your state senator to support Senate Bill 842, sponsored by Sen. Bob Mensch, which requires all insurers to cover these life-saving screenings in PA. Save women's lives!

oIntroducing PBCC CARES: Community Advocacy & Research Education for Students

Brand new program offers hands-on opportunities to Harrisburg School District students interested in the science of breast cancer and the healthcare field

The PA Breast Cancer Coalition is excited to announce its brand new program: PBCC CARES! CARES (Community Advocacy and Research Education for Students) is focused on enriching the lives of students across Pennsylvania who want to learn more about the science of breast cancer and advocacy. Students from Harrisburg School District were the first to experience our PBCC Conference through the CARES program, meeting researchers, breast cancer survivors and healthcare professionals. Students also had the opportunity to attend workshops presented by the leading breast cancer experts in the state.

Students will also have the chance to attend a medical research grant presentation and tour a breast cancer research lab this spring!

ooNew Photo Exhibit Debuts at PBCC Pink Party Conference Kick-Off Event

67 Women, 67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in Pennsylvania features photos and quotes from women across the state providing inspiration and education

Wow did we have fun at the PBCC Pink Party or what? We saw boas, bras and a big pink flamingo from Isaac's Famous Grilled Sandwiches in the crowd! The PBCC honored Shining Light Awardee and Ta-Ta Trot Founder Julie Rockey for contributing thousands of dollars to our mission. Thank you, Julie!

The Pink Party kicked off our 2015 Conference, but also marked the opening of our brand new photo exhibit. Women from across the Commonwealth submitted their empowering stories and photos for the display which will travel the state beginning this weekend. The exhibit also encourages women to learn the importance of screenings and early detection.

See the new exhibit Friday night at Carlow University in Pittsburgh. Join us for a free opening reception Friday, October 16 at 5:30pm in the AJ Palumbo Hall of Science and Technology. The exhibit will be on display at Carlow through October 25. We hope to see you there!

We Made History, Again!

**We Made History, Again!**