College of Medicine hosting their Annual ‘Mammography Art Initiative’ Art Show and Auction

By Maria Gil / Staff Writer

FIU’s own College of Medicine will be hosting their Annual ‘Mammography Art Initiative’ Art Show and Auction at the Frost Art Museum. Just as the name states it will focused on the awareness of breast cancer, a disease that affects many women around the world, by exhibiting artwork submitted by FIU students and renowned artists.

The Mammography Art Initiative was established three years ago in 2011 at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine with the cause to create better access to affordable breast health services and education for the uninsured, underinsured and undocumented women of Miami-Dade County. The MAI’s mission is to provide free mammograms to these women who may not have access to screenings. According to Matie Castillo, 2nd year Medical Student at the College of Medicine, “Breast cancer has the biggest mortality rate in the female population…and can be prevented by doing mammograms”.

The Art Show is being held for the purposes to raise money in order to provide access to care, and provide follow-ups for women who have or may have breast cancer. With over 600,000 people uninsured* in Miami-Dade County (This is excluding undocumented residents) raising money for free mammograms for these women is essential. It is even more crucial for women who are currently undocumented. The MAI is trying to tackle this area, because undocumented women don’t go and acquire medical examinations due to their fear of deportation. The MAI were able to provided 80 free mammograms in 2013 and now wish to expand their services from just mammograms. The MAI wants to expand to biopsies, pap smears and more medical help for women who are uninsured, underinsured and undocumented in Miami-Dade County.

The upcoming fundraiser is the Art Show at the Frost Art Museum has artists such as Jonathan Cole, Mila Dago, Michelle Wherley, Marco Caridad, Carlos Ricotti and many more. Also, along side multiple FIU students. Every year the Art Show has a theme and for 2014 the theme is “Strength”. To Matie Castillo strength is to, “[go] through the process of chemotherapy and radiation…[and] have the physical strength and mental strength to continue ”. Of course, the visual of strength varies from person to person, especially the visual representation of strength in women with breast cancer. Laura Flores, 2nd 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. Dr. Joe Greer will be at the event, as a special guest and speaker. Dr. Joe Greer is Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs and Chair of the Department of Humanities, Health and Society at the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Dr. Carolyn D. Runowicz will also be attending the Art Show to share her story as a cancer survivor and educate the attendees more about breast cancer.

FIU students are encouraged to attend because other than participating for a good cause students will be part of a lovely event put together by students for the community and to present information or get educated about breast cancer awareness. The committee of the Mammography Art Initiative is aware that FIU students will unlikely participate in the art auction, which is why affordable items such as restaurant certificates are going to be auctioned off at reasonable prices.

Anyone who wishes to be part of the MAI Art Show has a chance, for entries are going to be allowed till October 9th 2014 at 1:00PM.

Laura Flores and Maite Castillo want students to be aware that if they know a women who over 40 years old and needs mammogram and happen to be uninsured, underinsured or undocumented 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

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