Program Description
Breast Education and Early-detection Project (BEEP) started in January 2007 through funding provided by the Central Mississippi Steele Magnolias Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. The project has been continuously funded since then. BEEP is well known throughout communities across the Mississippi Delta and has developed into one of the top grassroots community health programs in the region. The project is a community based health program that focuses on a year-long campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer, breast health, and the importance of early detection. BEEP:
- Serves Bolivar, Sunflower, and Washington counties
- Provides educational workshops on breast health awareness in each of the counties
- Provides funding to offer free clinical exams and mammograms for ladies who attend the workshops and who are 40 years or older, have limited income, and who are uninsured or underinsured
- Participates in health fairs and other community events to promote breast health awareness throughout the year
Mission
The mission of the Breast Education and Early-Detection Project, commonly known as BEEP, is to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease through provision of innovative and creative approaches in teaching breast cancer awareness and prevention to women within the Bolivar, Sunflower, and Washington County communities who have limited access to preventive care.
Program Success
Since 2008 (through July 16, 2014), BEEP has:
- Sponsored or participated in 330 workshops, health fairs, and other events
- Reached 17,147 individuals
- Provided 364 mammograms and 440 clinical exams
- Provided 351 transportation stipends to participants to assist with costs of travel for the screenings
- Referred 43 individuals for further testing after the screenings (12%)
- Assisted in identifying 11 individuals with cancer through the additional testing (26%)
- Established and maintained long-term partnerships to sponsor events in the community
- Provided training and certification for 51 individuals as instructors on breast and other cancers
Free Mammogram Screenings
Women who are eligible will be selected from the participants who attend one of the BEEP workshops. Participants must:
- Submit an application to the project and will be selected pending they meet eligibility requirements
- Be 40 years or older
- Be a resident of Bolivar, Sunflower, or Washington county
- Not have insurance for breast cancer screening
- Be financially unable to pay for a clinical exam or mammogram
Funders
BEEP is funded by provision of a grant from the Central Mississippi Steele Magnolias Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. For more information about Central Mississippi Steele Magnolias, visit www.komencentralms.org.
Partners
Bolivar Medical Center
Breast and Cervical Cancer Program of Mississippi State Department of Health
Delta Regional Medical Center
Delta Health Center
Mississippi State Department of Health
North Sunflower Medical Center – Sunflower Diagnostic Center
Workshops
Breast health education workshops are are held year round for churches, schools, businesses, organizations, and programs that are willing to host the workshops. The workshops are open to the general public. Women who attend one of the BEEP workshops are eligible to receive free breast health screenings. Eligibility requirements for these screenings apply.
For More Info:
Dr. Billy Moore
Dean, College of Business & Aviation
P: (662) 846-4200
E: bmoore@826306.com
DSU Pinkout Day at Parker-McCool Stadium – October 21, 2017
The DSU Breast Education and Early Detection Project (BEEP) partnered with the DSU Athletic Department and the Delta Cotton Belles to sponsor the “Pink Out” day at Parker Field-McCool Stadium on October 21, 2017. BEEP provided Breast Awareness buttons for fans to wear at the event. Information about the mission of BEEP and breast awareness was also provided to the 3,451 fans in attendance over the public address system during halftime.
