Raising support for local breast cancer fighters

This October, Sanford Lab’s Environment, Safety and Health Department’s (ESH) breast cancer awareness campaign raised more than $300 to help those who are battling breast cancer in our area. The money was raised through free-will donations at Sanford Lab. Team members receive pink flags to write the names of family members and/or friends who have fought or are fighting the breast cancer battle. The flags will be displayed along the sidewalk entering the Administration Building during the last week of October. The funds raised through this effort will go to the Foundation for Health, which serves Lead and Deadwood.

The Foundation for Health has been providing opportunities to the community with health, safety and personal needs for more than 32 years. The Foundation also runs the “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” campaign during the Days of ’76 Rodeo as a way to increase support for breast cancer patients in the area. 

“We call it our ‘pink bubble,’” said Laurie Wince, director of the Foundation for Health. “All funds raised in the name of breast cancer go directly to helping those patients specifically. The cost of running the campaign is paid by our operations funds. No employee salaries or fees to national organizations come out of the money raised."

The Foundation’s pink bubble bridges daily living costs for breast cancer patients that aren’t addressed by medical insurance. These include transportation to and from treatments, travel and lodging for the patient and their families, and lymphedema compression sleeves. 

“I’ve heard of women who have deferred their chemo treatments in order to feed their children,” said Wince. “We can’t let that happen.”

The Foundation also provided funds to the Regional Health Lead-Deadwood Hospital to redo a section of flooring in order to stabilize the mammogram machine. 

“One thing I want to emphasize is that the funds from this campaign stay local,” said Wince. Patients eligible for these funds live primarily in Lead and Deadwood, with a few in the greater Northern Hills. 

This month, Sanford Lab’s fundraiser joins a wider community initiative aimed at raising money for the Foundation’s pink bubble. To support this cause, Lead-Deadwood High School’s volleyball team hosted a raffle, Belle Fouche’s Runnings store hosted a Pink Bucket campaign and more than 25 local businesses sponsored the Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort’s Pink Party. 

“We are excited to be joining a local cause,” said Larry Jaudon, director of ESH at Sanford Lab. “We’ve already raised more than $300 toward our $500 goal, and I'm confident that we will exceed our goal by the end of October.”

Follow the link to donate to Sanford Lab's fundraiser: https://form.jotform.com/82844853193971

The Foundation also provides for multiple wellness initiatives in the area. These include funds to help the hospital purchase an ambulance; helmets for kids participating in ski programs; flu shots for non-profit children’s care organizations; and wheelchairs for business to offer to their patrons. To learn more about Foundation for Health, visit their website.