#FlamingoChallenge
MORE THAN $85,000 RAISED DURING #FLAMINGOCHALLENGE 2023
Funds will be used to purchase the MOZART System – new technology that provides greater precision in removing cancer
In a true, community-wide effort, the fourth annual #FlamingoChallenge, held during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, raised more than $85,000 – the highest amount yet.
This generous community support will be invested locally to elevate patient care and help individuals battling breast cancer receive the treatment they need here, close to home. The funds will be used to help purchase the Kub Technologies 3D MOZART IQ System — state-of-the-art technology that gives surgeons greater precision in removing cancerous tissue for better patient outcomes.
“Our surgeons have been testing the MOZART System and decided it was an investment worth making. We are very grateful for the community support that is allowing this to happen,” said Elizabeth Davidson, Supervisor of the Sharon Ewing Walker Mammography Clinic at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH).
The MOZART System gives surgeons the ability to evaluate tissue samples during surgery — in real-time. The result is better accuracy with less tissue being removed.
“The addition of the MOZART System to Tallahassee Memorial’s robust array of treatments for both breast cancers and non-breast cancers, demonstrates the power of giving and the direct impact donors can have on increasing the quality of healthcare in their own community,” said Nigel Allen, President and Chief Advancement Officer of the TMH Foundation. “Over the past four years, our community has provided more than $250,000 through #FlamingoChallenge — with all of those funds being used to help breast cancer patients, and for that, we are incredibly grateful.”
#FlamingoChallenge, launched in 2020 by First Commerce Credit Union and the TMH Foundation, is a fun, communitywide fundraiser where businesses, organizations and individuals show their support for breast cancer patients by claiming a flock of pink flamingos to place in front of their home or business, making a pledge to donate or fundraise and posting pictures with their flamingos on social media.
“We are proud to continue this partnership with the TMH Foundation to help transform the communities we serve,” said Cecilia Homison, CEO of First Commerce Credit Union. “It is incredibly heartwarming to see our Tallahassee community come together to raise these much-needed funds that will have such a meaningful impact on the lives of countless breast cancer patients and their families for generations to come.”
Each year, the Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center and Sharon Ewing Walker Breast Center diagnose and treat more than 2,100 new cancer cases. As the number of cases increase, TMH continues to bring on board the latest technology and the best healthcare providers needed to give patients the most advanced care possible. The partnership with First Commerce Credit Union and the community through #FlamingoChallenge helps in this effort.
“Being a nurse and a cancer survivor myself, I understand the importance of this kind of support,” said Kathy Brooks, RN, Administrator of Tallahassee Memorial’s Oncology Services. “When someone is fighting for their life and not feeling well, the last thing they need to worry about is traveling out of town for treatment. The gratitude, joy and sense of relief I see in our patients’ faces when they are told that advanced care is available here, close to home, is truly priceless.”
Learn more about the services provided at the Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center by visiting TMH.ORG/Cancer. Lend your support to breast cancer survivors in our community by making a gift to the Walker Breast Program today.
