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Every Woman Matters: A Montana Multi-media Event Highlighting the
Importance of Breast Cancer Screening among Women with Physical Disabilities

Every Woman Matters: A Multi-media Event Highlighting the Importance of Breast Cancer Screening among Women with Disabilities: Group Photo

Right to Know: Centers for Disease Control Breast Cancer Screening Project for Women Living with Physical Disabilities Cooperative Agreement Number U59/CCU824602

Breast cancer is a major public health concern for all women, including women with disabilities. Women with disabilities are as likely as women without disabilities to have ever gotten a mammogram.  However, they are significantly less likely to have been screened within the recommended guidelines. The public health community uses health communication messages and campaigns to increase breast cancer awareness and encourage women to adopt preventive practices, yet few messages target women with disabilities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a qualitative study to explore barriers to breast cancer screening for women with physical disabilities. Barriers identified included: lack of perceived susceptibility, preoccupation with other health issues, not knowing where to go for accessible screening, positioning difficulties, inaccessible facilities and equipment, and provider knowledge and attitudes. Women with disabilities also said that health promotion messages and materials did not reflect their unique needs. They asked CDC to address this problem.

In response, CDC collaborated with the American Institutes for Research® to create and test the Right to Know campaign, a collection of health promotion materials (posters, MP3 files, low-tech flyers, print advertisements, and tip sheets) designed to increase awareness of breast cancer among women with physical disabilities and encourage them to get screened.  The materials feature four breast cancer survivors with physical disabilities who are recognized leaders in the national disability movement.

Every Woman Matters (EWM): Portraits of Montana Women Living with Disabilities
A Community Event

Montana community partners developed this multimedia exhibit to promote statewide awareness of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Right to Know campaign.

The EWM exhibit features black and white portraits (36”x 48” canvas prints) of 12 Montana women with physical disabilities – some are breast cancer survivors, all are role models and advocates.  A multimedia video project produced by University of Montana School of Journalism students and professor Jeremy Lurgio augments the portraits taken by internationally acclaimed portrait photographer Steven Begleiter. A grant from Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Montana Affiliate supported portrait production.

The EWM exhibit premiered on March 6, 2009 at Begleiter Photography Studio at 223 W. Front Street, Missoula. The exhibit’s next stop coincided with the Komen Montana Race for the Cure in Helena. The “Every Woman Matters” multi-media exhibit will travel to other Montana communities and is available for health conferences and other events. To install the exhibit, hosts need 800 to 1200 square feet of gallery/studio space and an LCD projector with projection screen or a large TV screen with a DVD player for the short promotional film.

Betty Kelton, Pablo, MT, breast cancer survivor, says "We have no idea what our capacity is to overcome. And that is just what we have to do, is be an 'overcomer'." Monica Garrahan, President of Montana Independent Living Center Board, says: "Every woman counts, everyone is important. Every woman has the right to get the screenings they need; every woman matters."
Betty Kelton, Pablo, MT        Monica Garrahan, Helena, MT
Breast Cancer Survivor        President, Board of Directors
                                                                       Montana Independent Living Center Project

Melodie Bowen of Great Falls, MT, has had a breast biopsy and lumpectomy. She says "If you think something is wrong, don't let the doctor tell you no." Mary Leighton, breast cancer survivor of Billings, MT, says" Your independence is a lot. And when you don't have any independence, it's like you lose a part of yourself."

Melodie Bowen                          Mary Leighton
Great Falls, MT                          Billings, MT
Breast Biopsy, Lumpectomy    Breast Cancer Survivor

Barbara Harper, breast cancer survivor of Missoula, MT, says "You gotta have hope, 'cause without hope there's nothing." Carla (CJ) Taylor of Kalispell, MT, lost her maternal grandmother to breast cancer. She says" I want to be strong for my daughter. I have MS, I don't want it to own me."

Barbara Harper,                     Carla (CJ) Taylor,
Missoula, MT                          Kalispell, MT
                            Breast Cancer Survivor         Lost maternal grandmother to breast cancer

Connie Leveque, Independent Living Specialist from Helena, MT, says "We need to focus on being our own best friends." Sylvia Stevens, public health professional from Helena, MT, says "It's OK to ask for help."

Connie Leveque,                         Sylvia Stevens,
Helena, MT                                   Helena, MT
Independent Living Specialist    Public Health Professional

Lynne Kelley, of Missoula, MT, lost her mother to breast cancer. She says "We need to do something and we need to do it now, because there are women out there that are not having mammograms. This is important." Jessica Cantrell of Poplar, MT, is diagnosed with breast cancer. She says, "There is another life beyond this, I don't fear the end."

Lynne-Marie Kelley                       Jessica Cantrell
Missoula, MT                                 Poplar, MT
Lost her mother to breast cancer  Diagnosed with breast cancer

Dolly Dingle of Polson, MT, is a breast cancer survivor. She says "Love is a great healer." Nickie Fee of Great Falls, MT, is seeking diagnosis of a lump in her breast. She says, "Never give up. Go to the doctor, even though you're frustrated, go. Never give up. As simple and as complicated as that is."

Dolly Dingle                            Nicolette (Nickie) Fee
Polson, MT                             Great Falls, MT
Breast Cancer Survivor        Seeking diagnosis of a lump in her breast

For more information, call Meg Ann Traci, project director of the Montana Disability & Health Program, a partnership of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) and The University of Montana Rural Institute, at 406-243-4956 or e-mail matraci@ruralinstitute.umt.edu or visit www.everywomanmatters.info

Thanks to our partners:

Steven Begleiter
Steve's professional career began in 1980 as first photo assistant to Annie Leibovitz and Mary Ellen Mark.  Now he is a freelance photographer in Missoula, Montana. Before moving to Missoula, he lectured on photography at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design and also ran a freelance photography business. He received a Greater Philadelphia Cultural Association grant and served on the board of the Philadelphia chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers.

He has authored four books: Fathers and Sons; The Art of Color Infrared Photography; The Portrait Book, A Guide for Photographers; and 50 Lighting Setups for the Portrait Photographer.  Lou Jacobs Jr. selected Begleiter as one of ten portrait photographers for Jacob's book, Professional Portrait Photography: Techniques and Images from Master Photographers and also included him in the book Creative Portraiture. Begleiter contributes to the trade magazine, Photo Techniques, and reviews photography books for Elsevier Publishing. His work has appeared in Esquire, Newsweek, Big Sky Journal, Us Weekly, Forbes, Elle, Business Week, on the cover of Time, in Fortune 500 annual reports and in national advertising campaigns.

Jeremy Lurgio
Jeremy is a freelance photojournalist and documentary photographer in Missoula, Montana. He also teaches at The University of Montana's School of Journalism and at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Missoula. His passion for documenting people and places inspires his photography. He is a regular contributor to both the Big Sky Journal and Montana Magazine, and his work has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, National Geographic Adventure, Men’s Journal, High Country News, The Drake, Fly Fisherman, Montana Quarterly, Wild Fibers Magazine, Outside Missoula, Missoula Living and the Montana Journalism Review. He has published work in DK Publishing's America 24/7 and Montana 24/7 books.

Letty A. Hingtgen is a photojournalist from Seattle, and a journalism and media arts graduate of The University of Montana. Letty worked as a multimedia intern at the Missoulian and served as the design editor at the Montana Kaimin.

Russel Daniels
Russel studied visual journalism at The University of Montana's School of Journalism. He reported and documented Indian Country stories on Two Spirit Societies -- Native Americans who fulfill traditional mixed gender roles in many Native American and Canadian First Nations indigenous societies. His photography has earned him numerous awards and scholarships. In 2005 and 2006 he attended the American Indian Journalism Institute. In 2008 he was a Chips Quinn Scholar. Daniels completed photojournalism internships with the Sioux Falls Argus, Minnesota's St. Cloud Times, and the Associated Press in Chicago. In summer 2009 he interned with the Associated Press in San Francisco.

Elly Burton and Randy Pilgrim
Elly has been a cosmetologist for over 40 years and a salon owner for 33 years. She is an honorary Montana hair fashion member and has won awards for every phase of hairstyling. Elly loves cutting, coloring, and designing her clients' hair. Her other great joy is working with daughters Angel Herring and Krista. Elly is a stylist at Angel's Missoula salon, Burton's Classic Hair. Five years ago, Elly began to make a difference for cancer patients by helping her clients donate their hair to Locks of Love. Last April, Elly lost a great friend, Doug Beed, to cancer. Doug had asked all of his friends to donate 10 hours in his memory to fight cancer. Elly’s opportunity came as a volunteer for Every Woman Matters. Co-worker Randy Pilgrim also helped with the project. For three weekends, Elly and Randy worked before and after business hours to help make these lovely spokeswomen more beautiful for their photographs. Elly and Randy were touched by each woman’s story.

“Money cannot replace the feeling you get when you know you have made a difference. These women humbled me. I am grateful to have worked with each and every one of them.” – Elly Burton

Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Komen Montana
406-459-9337
Since 1995, the Montana Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure (Komen Montana) has funded breast cancer screening, treatment and research to promote breast health throughout Montana. Komen Montana annually calls for proposals for projects in the areas of breast health and breast cancer education/outreach, screening or treatment targeting medically underserved Montana populations. In order to target grant awards and serve designated Montana populations, Komen Montana completed a statewide community profile in March of 2009.

Patricia K. Traci
Tricia is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin- Madison with majors in Film and Women Studies. In Los Angeles, she pursued a career in writing, directing, and editing. She also wrote comedy sketches, mostly on women’s issues, and developed a two-woman multi-media sketch show that played at L.A.'s top comedy theaters. Now in Missoula she uses her writing and filmmaking skills for community projects focused on women’s issues. She volunteered to produce the Every Woman Matters process evaluation video and short promotional film.

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