Staff Writer
Claire Bradshaw, director of development at the Upper San Juan Health Service District, is currently working with the Women’s Health Campaign to raise funds for a mammography machine. The machine comes at a cost of $200,000.
Bradshaw has had several meetings with foundations and prospective donors, focusing on who would support the Women’s Health Campaign.
The first goal of the campaign is to raise $600,000. Plan B is to raise $450,000. Plan C is to raise enough money to be able to afford only the mammography machine. The campaign plans to reach the top goal, Plan A, and the extra funds after the purchase of the machine would go toward providing free mammograms or low cost mammograms to low-income women.
‘Who Makes You Better?’
Bradshaw explained that a “Who Makes You Better?” slogan is a way to, “Look at the campaign as every dollar counts, every donation counts, from one dollar to one million.”
The campaign uses paper hearts as a way to raise money. When a person wants to donate to the cause, they will be given a heart. On this heart the donor will write the name of a woman in their life who has helped them be a better person.
These hearts can be found at Jackisch Drug, located downtown, as well as at the hospital. A person can fill one out and bring it by the hospital, fill one out at the hospital, or fill one out at the pharmacy for a member of the campaign to pick up.
These hearts will be hung throughout the hospital for others to see and hearts were also hung at the recent Heart Beat Ball fund-raiser.
The campaign received many donations at the Heart Beat Ball, including a $10,000 gift. Bradshaw estimated that, from the ball, including auctions, ticket sales and the hearts, the campaign raised $29,000. Last year’s numbers from the fund-raiser were estimated to be $8,000. This year’s fund-raiser went beyond the initial goal of $12,000 for the campaign.
While this is only one thread in the campaign, it does allow for community involvement. The Women’s Health Campaign is also writing grants for funding, as well as letters to potential donors.
Bradshaw explained to members of the Upper San Juan Health District Board at their most-recent meeting that, “This really regenerates the sense of: There are women that we can honor and that have left a legacy and that we would like to celebrate them and their life through donating through these organizations.”
