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Princeton Baptist Offering $99 Mammograms This Month

BIRMINGHAM TIMES — During October, everyone is used to seeing pink ribbons, pink hats, pink cars along with the many activities and events surrounding breast cancer awareness month. But there is a side that may not be so pretty in pink for those who cannot afford mammograms—and Princeton Baptist Medical Center aims to change that by providing $99 mammograms this month.

Published

6 years ago

October 22, 2019

Oakland Post

Katisha Vance, M.D.

By Ameera Steward

During October, everyone is used to seeing pink ribbons, pink hats, pink cars along with the many activities and events surrounding breast cancer awareness month. But there is a side that may not be so pretty in pink for those who cannot afford mammograms—and Princeton Baptist Medical Center aims to change that by providing $99 mammograms this month.

Oncologist Katisha Vance, M.D., said the $99 will cover screening for patients who don’t have insurance.

“Unfortunately, we have lots of women who need to be screened but don’t have health [coverage],” she said. “This [$99 fee] allows a woman who needs a mammogram to walk in off the street, get the study done, and have radiologist read it and let her know if she has anything to be worried about.”

Mammograms are the gold standard test for detecting breast cancer, Vance explained, adding that the process is fairly easy. Patients are told to place each breast on a flat platform, where the breast is pressed from above as well as from the sides for “a sophisticated X-ray,” she said.

Also, it is important to note that if a woman is diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer in Alabama, she qualifies for Medicaid if she does not have insurance.

“I have, unfortunately, taken care of too many women over the past 12 years who have found masses in their breasts and … thought, ‘I don’t have any health insurance. I don’t know what to do about this,’” Vance said. “If [a woman] comes in through the emergency department, we can get the process going. … If [a patient gets] medical attention for what is obviously a breast cancer, then in this state we can get Medicaid for them, and that will cover their treatment.

“That means we are able to find breast cancers earlier, when they have a better prognosis—and that’s why it’s so important to do this screening in women.”

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Age Limit

Over the years, questions have been raised about the age at which women should start getting mammograms. Many organizations recommend that women start screening at the age of 40; this is for an average-risk patient, someone who does not have a strong family history of breast cancer and hasn’t had radiation to the chest or another problem. Other organizations say women should begin getting mammograms on a regular basis at age 50 because most breast cancers—approximately 80 percent, Vance said—occur in women who are 50 and older.

For women with a family history of breast cancer, however, the guidelines are a bit different. If the patient has the genetic mutation BRCA1 or BCRA2, an abbreviation for BReast CAncer gene, doctors talk to those women about getting clinical exams in their 20s, Vance said. Additionally, those women should consider getting mammograms and MRI screenings of the breasts in their 20s.

“Those guidelines probably don’t get followed a great deal because I don’t think we screen enough women for BRCA1 and BRCA2,” Vance said. “You have entire families that know that they have those mutations, and those people probably do get screened, but we probably miss out on those who do not have a strong history of with the mutation. High-risk women should get screened earlier.”

Even those who are not BRCA1- or BRCA2-positive but are considered high-risk should start earlier. For example, if a woman’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45, Vance suggests that she start her screenings 10 years earlier than when her mother was diagnosed.

Self-Exams

In addition to getting mammograms regularly, women should do breast self-exams regularly for early detection. Vance suggests that women do a self-exam once a month to check for changes in or problems with their breasts. According to breastcancer.org, “The more you examine your breasts, the more you will learn about them and the easier it will become for you to tell if something has changed. … Examine yourself several days after your period ends, when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. If you are no longer having periods, choose a day that’s easy to remember, such as the first or last day of the month.” Vance adds that it’s best to check breasts in the shower or bathtub with soapy hands, so the hand can move easier around the breast.

Self-exams are important even if a woman has annual clinical breast exams done by a doctor or nurse practitioner because things can change in between those exams, so Vance encourages women to “do that [self-exam] once a month. … That’s fine. That’s all we need you to do.”

An ultrasound also can be used with a mammogram to screen women, especially if they’re young; it will reveal if the mammogram is showing a cystic (fluid-filled) or solid mass. An MRI can help, as well, but it should not be used in average-risk women because it is very sensitive and picks up everything, some of which “you don’t need to know about because they’re never going to cause a problem,” Vance said.

“Because breast cancer is talked about so much, it makes every woman a little bit worried if she feels something that is just a little off,” she added. “I still say get it checked by your doctor just to be sure. The majority of the time it may be nothing, but if something feels different, get it checked out.”

Reducing Risk

One way to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer or making it worse is by keeping your weight down, Vance said, explaining that estrogen is made not only in the ovaries but also in fat cells. According to the Susan G. Komen website, komen.org, “Estrogens are natural hormones that are important in sexual development and other body functions. Higher amounts of estrogen in the blood are linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in women after menopause. Researchers are studying a possible link to breast cancer before menopause.”

“So, if you are overweight with increased fat cells, … then your estrogen levels are going to be higher, and that’ll increase [your risk] for getting breast cancer,” Vance said. “One of the easiest things a woman can do is maintain a healthy weight.”

Additionally, breast cancer risk can be reduced by getting two and a half to five hours (150 to 300 minutes) of exercise a week, as well as not smoking.

“I can’t think of a single cancer [diagnosis] in which someone said, ‘Your smoking didn’t play into this,’” Vance said. “Never smoking is the best option. If you’re already a smoker, stopping will help.

“It’s very much about good self-care. I also think it’s important to emphasize that a whole lot of breast cancer is about genetics and environment. … I’m always very cautious about not placing blame on women when they develop breast cancer or when breast cancer comes back.”

Vance said Princeton Baptist wants to make sure as many women as possible get mammograms.

“It bothers me that so many women go to work every single day and have jobs that cover the bills, but their jobs don’t offer health insurance and because of that they can’t get the necessary preventive care they need,” said Vance.

Princeton Baptist Medical Center is offering $99 mammograms throughout the month of October—Mondays through Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to noon. To schedule an appointment, call 205-783-7100 or visit www.brookwoodbaptisthealth.com.

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

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Poll Shows Support for Policies That Help Families Afford Child Care

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

Oakland Post

By First Five Years Fund

New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

The national survey was conducted by UpOne Insight on behalf of the First Five Years Fund from January 13–18, 2026.

Key findings include:

• Parents need help: 80% of voters say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either in a state of crisis or a major problem.

• This is an affordability issue: 82% believe federal child care funding will help lower costs for working families — including 69% of Republicans, 84% of Independents, and 94% of Democrats.

• And there continues to be strong support (62%) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a federal program that makes it possible for hundreds of thousands of families to afford safe, quality care for their children while parents work or go to school, including a majority of Republicans, 63% of Independents and 72% of Democrats.

• Support for funding child care programs remains strong: 75% believe child care funding should be increased or kept at current levels — including 75% of Republicans, 85% of Independents, and 97% of Democrats.

• 74% say funding for child care is an important and good use of tax dollars, including a majority of Republicans, three-quarters of Independents, and nine in ten Democrats.

FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling said, “Voters across the country are sending a clear message: federal child care and early learning programs work. These investments help parents stay in the workforce, strengthen families, and support healthy child development. They have also long had strong bipartisan support in Congress. At a time when affordability is top of mind for families, continued federal funding is essential to ensure child care remains accessible and within reach.”

First Five Years Fund works to protect, prioritize, and build bipartisan support for quality child care and early learning programs at the federal level. Reliable, affordable, and high-quality early learning and child care can be transformative, not only enhancing a child’s prospects for a brighter future but also bolstering working parents and fostering economic stability nationwide.

We work with Congress and the Administration to identify federal solutions that work for families with young children, as well as states and communities. We work with policymakers to identify ways to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning programs for children. And we collaborate with advocacy groups to help align best practices with the best possible policies. http://www.ffyf.org

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Trump’s MAGA Allies are Creating Executive Order Plan to Steal the 2026 Midterms

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

Published

5 days ago

February 27, 2026

Oakland Post

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

A group of MAGA pro-Trump activists, who say they are working in coordination with the White House, are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would claim without evidence that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential to President Joe Biden by over 7 million votes. Since Trump lost to Biden in 2020, he has repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” without evidence. The report of a group of “Trump allies” preparing an executive order to give Trump power over elections was first reported by The Washington Post.

The lies around the right-wing campaign that pushed falsehoods that the 2020 election was stolen was trafficked through right-wing media, particularly Fox News. Fox News was then sued for defamation for the claims by Dominion Voting Systems. Fox lost the case and had to settle for the largest defamation amount on record of $787.5 million in April 2023.

The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

The story in The Washington Post arrives as Trump increasingly signals that he may take actions that would alter the result of the 2026 midterms. The Republicans are widely expected to lose as their approval ratings plummet as a result of a failing economy under Trump. Over 50 members of Congress have announced they will retire this year and not return in 2027.

The Trump Department of Justice, which now has a large image of Trump on the side of it, “sued five new states Thursday [Feb. 26, 2026] demanding access to their unredacted voter rolls — escalating a campaign that has been rejected by multiple federal courts and faces resistance from Republican-led states as well,” according to Democracy Docket, a group that works to protect voting rights.

Trump claimed back in late 2020, the last year of his first term, that he had the authority to issue an executive order related to mail-in voting for the 2020 elections — which he would then lose. But the Constitution states that control of elections lies with the states. As the GOP works to place hurdles in front of voting, Democrats worked to make voting easier.

In March 2021, President Biden signed an executive order calling on federal agencies to expand voting access as part of the Biden Administration’s effort “to promote and defend the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections.”

Trump’s focus is clearly on altering the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump’s polling numbers and the elections and special elections that have taken place around the U.S. over the last year clearly indicate that Republicans are about to be hit by a blue wave of Democratic victories.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts the show LAUREN LIVE on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

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PRESS ROOM: NBA Hall of Fame Nominee Terry Cummings Joins 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to Launch Victory & Values Initiative

NNPA NEWSWIRE — NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th.

Published

5 days ago

February 27, 2026

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Cummings becomes an honorary member, joining other role model sports stars

NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings has officially become an honorary member of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, marking a powerful new chapter for the 100 Black Men and youth development across the region.

Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th. The moment signified more than membership — it marked the launch of the organization’s transformative new platform, the Victory & Values Initiative.

The Victory & Values Initiative is a groundbreaking youth development program designed to empower elementary and middle school students through a dynamic blend of sports, mentorship, and STEM exposure. The initiative focuses on building health, discipline, character, leadership, and access to opportunity — creating pathways for long-term academic and personal success.

“This is about more than sports,” said Cummings during the ceremony. “It’s about using the platform of athletics to teach life lessons, create access, and build the next generation of leaders.”

The induction ceremony also featured notable guests including NASCAR’s newest Star Driver, Lavar Scott and NASCAR Director of Athletic Performance, Phil Horton, who joined Cummings for a powerful Victory & Values Town Hall discussion. The Town Hall was moderated by renowned Sports Emcee John Hollins and focused on leadership, resilience, discipline, and the importance of mentorship in shaping young lives.

A “Day at NASCAR” for 75+ Youth

Cummings wasted no time getting to work. On his first full day as an honorary member, he joined his new brothers of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to host a “Day at NASCAR,” escorting more than 75 youth to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at EchoPark Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

The youth participants received behind-the-scenes access including: an exclusive tour of Pit Row, access to the Garage Area and exploration of the interactive Fan Zone.

The experience culminated with a surprise meet-and-greet and Q&A session with NASCAR Superstar Bubba Wallace, who shared insights on perseverance, preparation, and breaking barriers in professional sports.

The day served as a living example of the ‘Victory & Values’ Initiative in action — exposing youth to new industries, expanding their vision for the future, and connecting them directly with high- level mentors and role models.

Building Leaders Through Access and Mentorship

The 100 Black Men of DeKalb County – a chapter of the largest, national mentoring organization in the county – continues to expand its footprint with programs focused on academic excellence, economic empowerment, leadership development, and health & wellness.

The launch of ‘Victory & Values’ represents a strategic expansion of the organization’s impact

intentionally integrating athletics and STEM to engage youth at an early age while reinforcing core principles such as integrity, accountability, teamwork, and perseverance.

“Our mission has always been to mentor the next generation,” said Vaughn Irons, President-Elect of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. “With Terry Cummings joining the brotherhood, along with partners in NASCAR and professional sports, we are creating unprecedented access and exposure for our youth. Victory & Values is about turning inspiration into structured opportunity.”

By connecting elementary and middle school students to professional athletes, executives, STEM professionals, and community leaders, the initiative aims to:

Increase youth exposure to careers in sports business, engineering, and performance science
Strengthen mentorship pipelines
Promote physical wellness and mental resilience
Build character-driven leadership at an early age

Open Invitation to Youth and Families

All youth are invited to participate in the Victory & Values Initiative, along with the other countless, impactful programs offered by the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County.

Parents and guardians seeking mentorship, leadership development, academic enrichment, and transformative exposure opportunities for their children are encouraged to connect with the organization.

As NBA Legend Terry Cummings’ induction demonstrates, Victory & Values is more than a program — it is a movement designed to build champions in life, not just in sports.

For more information about the Victory & Values Initiative or to enroll a student, contact: 100 Black Men of DeKalb County at Phone at 404.241.1338, info@100bmod.org or Tee Foxx at 404.791.6525,