Founded by breast cancer survivor Nina Nisenholtz, the annual "Westside Challenge to Beat Breast Cancer" features a 50-game round-robin tennis marathon. Established at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center eight years ago, the event is a fundraiser to provide low-cost mammography screenings and educational programs for women.

As a community service for women in the battle against breast cancer, the program offers both screening and diagnostic mammograms at reduced costs:

• $25 Screening mammograms for underinsured women ages 35-65

• Low-cost diagnostic mammograms for underinsured women under 40

All services are provided in a convenient and comfortable facility, located across the street from Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, that provides maximum privacy to women needing diagnostic imaging procedures.

As a result of the Westside Challenge to Beat Breast Cancer event in 2005, we supplied low-cost mammograms to an additional 200 women and almost 10,000 women accessed breast health educational information. Our goal is to expand this program to more women in the community and raise funds to continue to subsidize these potentially lifesaving exams.

For more information about the screening program, please contact Jean McNeil Wyner at (310) 319-4471

Dear Ms. Wyner,

I wanted to express my sincere thanks for the program which you initiated to help women like myself get mammograms. I'm sure this is a familiar story to you. I lost my job and then went through 18 months of expensive Cobra payments. Then I was in my late thirties and was told I should get a mammogram. Without insurance I began calling various offices regarding breast cancer and was finally referred to the Westside Women's Challenge at UCLA.

Without this program I would not be able to afford a mammogram. I can afford to pay for one doctor visit a year...and I chose my gynecologist visit as the most important one. I go without eye examinations as my sight is changing. I go without dermatologist exams and I've had a precancerous mole before. I've searched for help in those areas and have come up empty.

But you and your tremendous commitment to help with mammograms has taken one major worry off my plate and provided a service for which I am deeply grateful. You have undoubtedly saved many lives with this endeavor and I hope to one day be able to give back to the program more than it has given to me. You have given me peace of mind in a crucial area of healthcare and that is priceless.

Thank you for a job well done and a contribution which is truly significant and life changing.

Best Regards,
Lisa Marie Stetler

Westside Challenge to Beat Breast Cancer ©2006

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