Alexis DeJoria Racing and Nevada Health Centers were thrilled when 90 women took advantage of their “Free Mammograms for the Fans” program at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last year so they brought it back again for 2014.
“Free Mammograms for the Fans” let any female ticket holder over the age of 40 get a free mammogram at NVHC’s “mammovan,” a mobile mammography unit housed in a tractor trailer, right at the track, no matter what their insurance status, from Friday through Sunday of race weekend.
The idea was to take cost, the main reason many women skip the test, out of the equation. Mammograms for uninsured women can cost $250 to $300 while a race ticket starts at $34.
At the end of three days, 123 women, a 30% increase over last year, took advantage of the opportunity, with a few more taking Pink Passes, a rain check program added for this year to address overflow demand, allowing women to schedule a visit anywhere in the greater Las Vegas area from the mammovan anytime before March 31 of next year.
“We may not have won the Funny Car race here in Vegas this weekend, but being able to provide more than 120 women with a free mammogram, a potential life saver, is a win in and of itself,” said DeJoria.
The mammovan set up shop right behind DeJoria’s pit area and accommodated a steady stream of women all three days. The tests took about 10-15 minutes each depending on the patient. Because of the growing response, the program may expand to include Thursday next year.
DeJoria also raced a “Go Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness” special hot pink, matte black and gold leaf on her Patrón XO Cafe Toyota Camry Funny Car for the weekend.
“The majority of us know someone who has been personally affected by breast cancer,” said DeJoria. “To be able to help fight the fight against any form of cancer is a great thing.”