Links in Pink

By Lea Witkowski-Purl | Photos: Staci Brimer

Shawanda Foster wants everyone to take care of themselves.

“I want other patients to not feel like they always have to work, work, work,” she said. “To take some time out for yourself, check yourself out, make sure you go to the doctor and get your annuals every year because you don’t want to wait until the last minute.”

Her experience backs up her advice. In October 2020, Ms. Foster decided to take a week off work at the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Department and Raintree Family Services, where she works with girls ages 12-17, to get up to date on her medical screenings.

“I said to myself, ‘I’m going to go have my physical. I’m going to the eye doctor. I’m going to the dentist’,” she said.

“And I’m going to get my mammogram done.”

Ms. Foster scheduled her mammogram during the Links in Pink free screening mammogram event hosted by Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center. This biannual event gives women an opportunity for early breast cancer detection, and is led by Erica Broussard, MD, a Senior Physician and Site Lead for Radiology and a member of the Pontchartrain Chapter of The Links, Inc. nonprofit service organization.

“The Links, Inc. is one of the nation’s largest and oldest volunteer service organizations. It’s now an international organization committed to serving its communities,” Dr. Broussard said, adding that there are three local New Orleans chapters.

The southern area director of The Links, Inc. made breast cancer awareness and education the organization’s mission for chapters from Louisiana to the Bahamas. When Dr. Broussard learned of the initiative, she immediately saw an opportunity to expand resources for the community.

“I thought, ‘What if we could create a free screening mammogram event for women who are underserved, uninsured and do not have great access to healthcare?’” Dr. Broussard said. “There are women who we can potentially detect breast cancer early on. We just can’t reach them. Let’s figure out a way to reach them. Let’s not only provide them with a free screening mammogram, but also provide other services as it relates to their breast health.”

Dr. Broussard learned about the Southern Area Initiative in September 2020, and the first Links in Pink event was held in October. Her dream of reaching women early through a personalized

screening was brought to life in three weeks thanks to a partnership with the Pontchartrain Chapter of The Links, Inc. and multiple teams at Ochsner Baptist. Dr. Broussard created the Attack Breast Cancer Early Fund so donors could support the Links in Pink event.

“My administrative leader colleagues at Baptist were 100% on board,” she said. “This fruitful partnership between the Pontchartrain Chapter of The Links and Ochsner Baptist has been a very beautiful and gratifying experience for all the teams providing free screening mammograms for these ladies.”

Since the first event in 2020, they have held two more events and screened about 70 women for breast cancer. The most recent one was held in May 2022 and the next is scheduled for October. Up to 25 patients can schedule appointments for breast cancer screens during each event.

“We are giving them a little touch of concierge service that they may otherwise never come in contact with, not just with their health, but ever,” Dr. Broussard said.

They gather in the Phyllis and Patrick F. Taylor Auditorium at Ochsner Baptist, where they receive information and watch an introductory video. Dr. Broussard then leads groups for private mammograms, and they get same-day results.

When Ms. Foster had her mammogram, she did not want to know the results that day.

“A couple of years back, I had a mammogram done,” she said. “They did some research, the ultrasound, and at that particular time I was told it was fatty tissue.”

But she soon received a call to repeat the mammogram, then she needed an ultrasound and finally a biopsy. Dr. Broussard performed her biopsy. Before the procedure, she asked about the likelihood that she had cancer.

“Dr. Broussard said, ‘You want to know? Because I’m straightforward’,” Ms. Foster said, recalling how Dr. Broussard told her that she was certain she had cancer.

Ms. Foster’s journey to cancer diagnosis and survivorship began then. In 2020, she underwent surgery for over eight hours. Following a complication, she had a second surgery.

“I got through it,” she said. “I’m still standing strong.”

Her advice echoes in the wake of her recovery.

“If you’re sick and you can’t help yourself, that job is going to be there. It’s so important to just really take care of yourself,” she said. “Get your medical exams. Get your annual physicals. Make sure you have your mammograms. Don’t feel like you’re always too busy to really take time out for yourself.”