TRIADELPHIA– The West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program gained another $5,000 donation from the Neighborhood Ford Store during a check presentation held Wednesday at Jim Robinson Ford dealership at The Highlands.

Mike DeArdio, sales and leasing manager at Jim Robinson, presented the oversized check to Zack Jarrett, program manager with the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program. Also present was Nancy Lewis, spokeswoman for the Neighborhood Ford Store.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time that women are encouraged to “Think Pink” and remember to get their checkups and screenings for the disease.

Jarrett said the donation would help the program help women who are income-eligible receive screenings for breast cancer and cervical cancer. If further testing or treatment is needed the program helps the women pay for that as well.

“For BCCSP to have this donation is tremendous because the money goes right back to serve the women of West Virginia for their needs for diagnostic or treatment,” Jarrett said.

The money will go into the West Virginia Diagnostic and Treatment Fund, which is funded by grant money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“If you are in need of a mammogram or cervical cancer screening and have been delaying that care due to financial concerns, lack of insurance or issues with your co-pay or deductible, please do take a look at our program,” he said.

The program can be reached at 800-642-8522. For more information, visit www.wvdhhr.org/bccsp. While the program only covers testing for women, Jarrett said men or transgender people who need information or assistance in finding other services can still call him at the program. For example, West Virginia has the James “Tiger” Morton Catastrophic Illness Commission, which can provide funds to those with life-threatening illnesses who have exhausted all other resources.

Lewis said breast cancer awareness is the philanthropy of Ford Motor Co. and Ford dealerships.

“The dealers see the customers all the time. It’s very important for the dealers to be able to support their customers so when the Neighborhood Ford Store can make a donation like this to support screening that means women are getting the care they need. And that’s very important,” Lewis said. “Our dealers really believe in direct aid to people. We see that all the time with our programs.”

Lewis said many people have been putting off cancer screenings and checkups because of COVID-19 concerns and related issues such as decreased finances.

“We know the first thing that gets paid is the house rent. The second thing that gets paid is usually for the car, and then there’s food and everything else and what the kids need. And by the time you get done with all of that, where do the adults come in?” she said.

“Mothers will take care of their kids first and then take care of their significant others and they’re usually the last ones on the list. I wish that people would listen to the airlines when they say, ‘Put your mask on first so you can help others,’ because everything revolves around the mother.”

According to the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program, screening tests such as mammograms, clinical breast exams and pap smears and pelvic exams can lead to early detection of cancers and increased survival rates.