A mammovan will be on hand with Alexis DeJoria Racing at the Dallas and Las Vegas NHRA events in October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Women above 40 will be able to have a free mammogram to help detect for signs of breast cancer on Fridays and Saturdays at the events. Mammograms will be given on a first come, first serve basis. No appointment, insurance or referrals are necessary.
It’s all a part of Alexis DeJoria Racing’s “Free Mammograms for the Fans” program, which is made possible thanks to a partnership with Baylor Health and Nevada Health Care Systems (NVHC), and is in its fourth year of running.
“It’s the price of a ticket, basically,” explains DeJoria, driver of the Tequila Patron Toyota Camry in the NHRA Funny Car division. “You can buy a Friday ticket or a Saturday ticket and you can get a free mammogram. We’ve all lost people close to us because of [breast cancer] and I think that it touches everyone in that way.”
According to the American Cancer Society, the cost of mammograms is cited as one of the main reasons women forgo mammography screenings, even though one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point during their lifetime.
Alexis DeJoria Racing has been doing various fundraising events throughout the season as well as collecting donations in order to raise the $31,000 needed to afford to run the program.
“Alexis DeJoria Racing is committed to providing free mammograms as long as we are out on the racetrack,” adds DeJoria, “the outpouring of support for this program is astounding.
“We’ve provided around 350 mammograms over the last three years and I think the more we do it every year, the more people find out about it through word of mouth, through press and what not, so we hope that number will just keep rising.”
While DeJoria’s championship battle has not been going to plan, as she sits 10th in the NHRA Funny Car points entering this weekend’s event, she’s aware that there is a much bigger battle left to be won.
“Breast cancer awareness is a subject very dear to our hearts,” adds DeJoria. “Early detection is key, and being proactive is the best way to fight this.
“I’ve gotten many heartfelt letters from women thanking me so much because if we didn’t provide that for them they would have never known, and they were able to detect it early on and take care of it.”
DeJoria will be sporting a new livery promoting Breast Cancer Awareness beginning at this weekend’s Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pennsylvania.
“We have bright pink parachutes to go with it, so you’ll definitely see it at the top end of the racetrack, that’s for sure!”
The mammovans will be on hand at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals at the Texas Motorplex from Oct. 14-15, and the NHRA Toyota Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from Oct. 28-29.
