Moms Matter: Bridgeport program reaches out to busy mothers

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) -- A breast health program reaches out to busy moms in Bridgeport area.

It's July and day camp at the Cardinal Shehan Center in Bridgeport is jam packed with kids.

Moms are in and out.

It's an opportunity to team up with the Norma F. Pfriem Center at Bridgeport Hospital, educating women on breast health through it's Moms Matter program.

Donna Twist is the Executive Director of the Breast Care Center.
 
"We are number two in the state for breast cancer so we use programs where there's children who will help and encourage their moms to come in and to sign up," Twist said.

With a family history, Shavonne DeWitt knows about the importance of signing up for a free mammogram.

"I wasn't to sure about lumps in my breast and stuff, so they thought it might have been a lump, but it was nothing really serious," DeWitt said.

It's never too early to start empowering women.

Upstairs, young teens are learning about the basics of a self-breast exam.

An instructor explains, "you can do this lying down on a bed because the breast tissue will flatten out, to be easier for you to feel if there's any sort of abnormalities there."

13-year-old Tia Frye thinks it's a good idea.

"Some parents don't talk about this with their kids and they need to know about this stuff," Tia said.

Moms too, need reminding.

Twist said, "moms are so busy throughout the day, that the last thing they think about is themselves so we're really trying to get their children to encourage them to come in because without their moms often times many other things fall apart."  

"It's important, " DeWitt said, "that this gets out because I had a grandma who passed away from breast cancer, so it's important."
 
The Moms Matter program is already at a number of schools in the Bridgeport area.

The one at the Cardinal Shehan Center is funded by the Fairfield Christmas Tree Festival .