JEFFERSON, Iowa – This October, Greene County Medical Center is asking area businesses to Paint the Town Pink to educate and support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
This year’s campaign invites local businesses to deck out their storefronts in pink, post photos on social media and tag Greene County Medical Center to show their support. Participants will not only shine a spotlight on early detection and show their support for those impacted by the disease but also be entered into a contest for prizes. Judging will take place the week of October 13, leading up to National Mammography Day on Friday, October 17.
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in women, with sobering statistics for 2025. The National Breast Cancer Foundation projects more than 316,000 new diagnoses in women this year and 42,170 deaths. Men are also impacted; the American Cancer Society estimates about 2,800 men will be diagnosed and 530 will die from the disease in 2025.
“These aren’t just numbers, they represent our mothers, sisters, fathers, brothers, coworkers and friends,” said Heather Booth, Imaging Director at Greene County Medical Center. “But there is hope. Early detection makes all the difference, and that hope is backed by science. When breast cancer is found early, the five-year survival rate is 99%. Detected late, that number drops to just 32%.”
Greene County Medical Center is kicking off Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a Jefferson Matters Java & Juice on Friday, October 3 at 9:30 a.m. in the main lobby. In addition, everyone is invited to “treat” themselves to a mammogram on Walk-In Mammo Mondays. These are available year-round from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Greene County Medical Center, but during the month of October patients will receive a special treat and a $5 gift card for the Gift Garden. On Monday, October 27, the Imaging department will offer extended mammogram hours from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The patient’s last mammogram results must be on file at Greene County Medical Center and it must have been at least one year since their last mammogram.
“We also want to continue to show our support throughout the month and ask everyone to join us in wearing pink each Friday,” Booth added.
From storefronts painted pink to conversations sparked in coffee shops and clinics, the campaign is more than decorations. It is about unity. “Together, we can raise awareness, support survivors or loved ones and remind everyone that early detection saves lives,” Booth said.