Test Andrea Wazir

Almost everyone has a friend, coworker or family member who has had a close encounter with breast cancer. That includes members of University Health’s Protective Services team, a part of the Bexar County Hospital District Police Department, who decided to use their presence in the community to encourage women to receive timely screenings so tumors are treated early and lives are saved.

Lt. Sandra Barr began spearheading the department’s education campaign in 2016 after living through the anguish of losing close friends to breast cancer. She has designed t-shirts, pink bracelets and lapel pins to raise money for mammograms for low-income women. This year she designed pink uniform patches and a pink ribbon wrap for a patrol unit that advertises a University Health web address where women can schedule mammograms.

The public will also see the message “Early Detection Saves Lives” as the police cruiser drives through the community.

Barr and Deputy Chief Sherrie King are taking the pink police unit to the Bexar County Courthouse on Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m.-noon. They’ll be parked beside our mobile mammography bus, where we will be providing scheduled screenings, and experts will be available to talk about how breast cancer screenings can save lives.

What: University Health pink breast cancer patrol unit and University Health mobile mammography bus

Who: University Health’s Lt. Sandra Barr, Deputy Chief Sherrie King and mammography staff

When: Wednesday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m. – noon 

Location: Outside the Bexar County Courthouse at 100 Dolorosa