COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — Pink Alliance, a nonprofit in the Brazos Valley, is one of several local resources, providing financial assistance to low-income women diagnosed with breast cancer.
- Pink Alliance helps low-income women by covering initial treatment costs, such as copays and deductibles, up to $3,500.
- In 2023, Pink Alliance provided $93,000 in support to 63 women, and this year has already distributed $116,000 to help the same number of women begin their treatments.
- Local health experts emphasize that recognizing warning signs such as lumps or unusual discharge, along with regular screenings, is critical for early breast cancer detection.
- Learn more about the Pink Alliance, Relay for Life of Brazos Valley,and St. Joseph Cancer Center.
Broadcast script:
Doris Light, an 18-year breast cancer survivor and president of Pink Alliance, a nonprofit in the Brazos Valley, vividly remembers her diagnosis.
“It’s one of those things you just never forget. But I remember thinking I'll never live long enough to see my daughter graduate from high school,” Doris said.
Now cancer-free, Doris has dedicated her life to helping others.
“I appreciate the little things in life now. The things that used to really bother me don’t bother me so much. And I have found my true passion in helping ladies that have been diagnosed with breast cancer,” she said.
Pink Alliance focuses on supporting low-income women in the community who have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer by helping to cover copays, deductibles, and other expenses needed to get their treatment started.
“We have a limit of about $3,500, which is not going to pay for treatment — that’s just a drop in the bucket. But what it does do is get them started with initial testing,” Doris said.
In 2023, Pink Alliance paid $93,000 to help 63 women, and so far this year, they have already provided $116,000 to the same number of women — Doris stressed the importance of early detection in breast cancer survival.
Nurse practitioner D’Ann Leigh of St. Joseph and Texas A&M Health South College Station emphasized that the key to prevention is regular screenings.
The single most important thing for prevention and early detection?
"To go and have your mammogram. You know, a lot of people don’t want to do it, but it’s so important."
D’Ann also shared some important signs to watch out for.
“If you actually feel a lump in there, or notice unusual discharge, it’s time to see a doctor — and it’s just really important to do self-breast exams regularly, too.”
Doris highlighted that having a support system is just as crucial as the treatment itself.
“We just love them, that’s what we’re about — we’re about hugging and just letting that person know they’re going to be okay, that they have someone to talk to, someone to call,” Doris said.