Care Card proceeds boost availability of mammograms for Arizona women

4/1/2025

From left to right: Shannon Goldwater, Care Card program chair; Alyssa Crockett, chief development officer for oncology for the Banner Health Foundation; Myeisha Andrews, The BIG Pink Bus program director; and Dr. Danielle Summers, diagnostic radiologist for Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Representatives of the Board of Visitors presented the Banner Health Foundation with a check for $225,000 to support The BIG Pink Bus during the organization’s annual Grants Celebration in February. These funds represent the proceeds from the 2024 Care Card program, Arizona’s largest retail fundraising event.

The BIG Pink Bus is a mobile imaging unit offering state-of-the-art 3D mammograms to women across the Valley, especially those living in underserved communities who may face barriers to accessing this life-saving screening. The BIG Pink Bus hit the road in 2024 thanks to philanthropic support from corporate, foundation and individual donors in our community.

Arizona’s oldest women’s charitable organization, the Board of Visitors has been raising funds for more than 100 years to support nonprofits in the greater Phoenix community that serve the health care needs of women, children and the elderly. Every year, the Board of Visitors members organize three fundraisers, with proceeds granted to nonprofit organizations that meet their mission.

Each year, the Grants Celebration highlights the work accomplished by the Board of Visitors throughout the year, showcases the significant impact of their initiatives, and unites individuals and organizations dedicated to making a difference in our community.

"The BIG Pink Bus brings vital screening directly to our community as a beacon of proactive healthcare, empowering women with access and peace of mind. The Board of Visitors has been inspired by your team’s tangible steps toward a healthier tomorrow, where preventative care and timely care are within reach,” says Kiley Ward, Chairman of The Board of Visitors.

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer for women in Arizona, with more than 6,200 women diagnosed and 920 dying from the disease in 2023. The incidence of breast cancer in Arizona is expected to rise to more than 7,000 cases in 2025, with the steepest trends among young women.

Mammograms remain the only screening test proven to reduce breast cancer deaths through early detection; however, only 64% of Arizona women get their mammograms, and that percentage drops even lower for minority women and women who live in underserved communities. Inconvenience is a frequent barrier, as women often cite being “too busy,” the long distance to an imaging site, or lack of transportation as reasons to avoid mammograms.

The BIG Pink Bus will once again be the sole beneficiary of the Care Card program in 2025 – a 10-day shopping event that will take place in October. Shoppers purchase a Care Card for $60 and receive 20% off at more than 350 retailers and restaurants during the shopping event. Proceeds from Care Card sales go to the chosen beneficiary.

You can help ensure that the resources necessary to sustain The BIG Pink Bus are in place by making a tax-deductible charitable gift online and by purchasing Board of Visitors Care Cards in mid-September at thecarecard.org or from participating retailers.