It takes an exceptional person to turn a tragedy into a triumph. The men of Step Up 4, Inc. have done just that.
Understanding first-hand the kind of support women with breast cancer need, Step Up 4 is an all-male organization that is partnering with Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center at Methodist Hospitals to provide access to life-saving resources.
Acting as a not-for-profit taxi service, Step Up 4 is collaborating with Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center to provide free transportation to women in need of services.
“We are working with Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center to provide transportation to and from their appointments,” said Bill Maio, CEO of Step Up 4. “Think of it as a free Uber ride to help.”
Rides are not limited to women diagnosed with breast cancer. Step Up 4 is hoping to make access to mammograms and resources easier for all women.
“Our goal is to increase the awareness of breast cancer for people and encourage them to get checked out as well,” Maio said.
“We're very excited to partner with Step Up 4 and bring attention to this disease,” said Jennifer Sanders, manager of the Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center. “Everyone in a family is affected when someone is diagnosed. The fact that these guys stepped up because of personal experiences with breast cancer is just phenomenal.”
A key factor in this partnership is the similar mission of both organizations. Both Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center and Step Up 4 work tirelessly to educate the public.
“Only 52% of women in Lake County are screened for breast cancer,” Sanders said. “We're here to let them know these services exist and to be that constant reminder.”
Both Step Up 4 and Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center don’t want limited access to be a factor in breast cancer screening.
“We always want patients to know—no matter what's going on financially in your life or what you're doing—we are here,” Sanders said.
In addition to free rides from Step Up 4, Northwest Indiana Breast Cancer Center partners with many groups to provide free screening and supplies for survivors.
“This program is specifically for women who are underinsured or do not have insurance,” Sanders said. “That’s where we come in with mammograms to help people stay on track. We want to get the word out. The Step Up 4 program is one of many ways we do that.”
To fund and propel the free shuttle service, Step Up 4 is having a fundraiser called Going Country 4 a Cure on August 26.
“This is a great event,” Maio said. “Tickets are available through our website, and we have some great sponsors for raffles and other good stuff.”
Going Country 4 a Cure will be hosted at Avenue 912 in Griffith. A donation of $40 per person and $70 for a couple includes entry music, food, and a cash bar.
“We have a couple of local artists that have played in Nashville,” Maio said. “James Gedda and The Big Breakfast will be there, so it's going to be a really good time. We hope to get a bunch of people in the door to learn more about our group and see the help we provide.”
Tickets for Going Country 4 a Cure are available at the link here.
To learn more about the Northwest Indiana Breast Cancer Center at Methodist Hospitals, visit its website here.
