College of Medicine to host Annual ‘Mammography Art Initiative’ Art Show

By Maria Gil / Contributing Writer

FIU’s College of Medicine will be hosting their Annual ‘Mammography Art Initiative’ Art Show and Auction at the Frost Art Museum on Oct. 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. University students and renowned artists alike will have the opportunity to exhibit their work.

The focus will be raising awareness and funds for breast cancer.

With over 600,000 uninsured residents in Miami-Dade County alone, raising money for free mammograms for these women is essential. It is even more crucial for women who are undocumented, because they may not acquire medical attention out of fear of deportation.

The Mammography Art Initiative was able to provide 80 free mammograms in 2013, but also wishes to expand their services to biopsies, pap smears and further medical help for uninsured, underinsured or undocumented women in Miami-Dade.

Of course, the visual of strength varies from person to person, especially the visual representation of strength in women with breast cancer. Laura Flores, second year medical student at the college of medicine and Logistics Director of the MAI, states that the art pieces submitted so far are, “quite empowering.”

Alongside these amazing artists, a very special guest will be attending the Art Show. Joe Greer will be at the event as a special guest and speaker. Greer is the assistant dean of Academic Affairs and Chair of the Department of Humanities, Health and Society at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

Carolyn Runowicz will also be attending the Art Show to share her story as a cancer survivor and educate the attendees more about breast cancer.

The committee of the MAI is aware FIU students are unlikely to participate in the art auction, which is why affordable items such as restaurant certificates are going to be auctioned at reasonable prices.

Anyone who wishes to be part of the MAI Art Show has a chance, for entries are going to be allowed until 1 p.m., Oct. 9.

Sidenote: Flores and Castillo want students to be aware that if they know a under/uninsured women over 40 who needs a mammogram, to please contact nbrozo001@fiu.edu or jmaci009@fiu.edu. Whether it is friend, a sister, a daughter, a wife, a mother, a woman’s life can be saved.

*Statistics retrieved from www.accessproject.org, excluding undocumented individuals

 

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