Each fall, hundreds from the community gather in a sea of pink to celebrate survivors, remember loved ones, and help ensure every woman has access to lifesaving breast health care. This year, the 17th Annual In the Pink Northeast Luncheon will be held Fri., Oct. 30, at the Humble Civic Center. The event, for which triple-negative breast cancer survivor Nikki Adams will serve as honorary co-chair, will carry special significance as guests commemorate the 25th anniversary of Project Mammogram.
As the Northeast Hospital Foundation’s premier fundraiser, the luncheon is the largest source of financial support for Project Mammogram, a program serving eligible uninsured and underinsured women across Northeast Houston. More than 600 guests are expected to attend. A complimentary champagne reception, bid board, raffle, and boutique shopping will begin at 10 a.m., followed by lunch and the seated program at 11:30 a.m.
The program will include survivor recognition, moving personal stories, and important conversations about early detection. Together, these moments illustrate the luncheon’s central message that no woman should face barriers to potentially lifesaving care.
“This luncheon brings our entire community together around women and families who need us,” says Brooke Baugh, director of development and programs for the Northeast Hospital Foundation. “It is a celebration, but it is also a reminder of why this work remains so important.”
Project Mammogram began with a $5,000 gift from the Kingwood Women’s Club. Over the past 25 years, it has grown into a comprehensive program that has provided more than 13,000 Northeast Houston residents with breast health services.
Today, the program funds screening and diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, biopsies, and patient navigation at no cost for eligible women. Through partnerships with Memorial Hermann Northeast and The Rose, patients receive guidance from their initial screening through diagnosis and, when necessary, treatment.
“I don't just coordinate care,” says Project Mammogram coordinator Silvia Torres. “I help bridge the gap between fear and hope for the women who need it most, especially those who face financial hardship and health disparities.”
Funds raised during the luncheon will also help Project Mammogram broaden its reach. A new partnership with Memorial Hermann Neighborhood Health Centers assists women who need a physical examination and a physician’s order before receiving a mammogram. An expanded partnership with The Rose will bring mobile mammography events into communities across the foundation’s 26-ZIP-code service area.
“Every year, we ask ourselves where the gaps are,” Baugh says. “Then we look for ways to remove those barriers so women can receive lifesaving screenings.”
The luncheon also creates an elevated platform for breast health education. With one in eight women expected to receive a breast cancer diagnosis during her lifetime, organizers hope every guest leaves empowered to prioritize her health and to encourage others to do the same.
Project Mammogram partners with the national Know Your Lemons campaign to teach women about the 12 visible signs of breast cancer, expanding awareness beyond the presence of a lump. During the luncheon, education becomes intimate as survivors and families share how early detection and self-advocacy shaped their journeys.
“We don’t always put ourselves on our own to-do list,” Baugh says. “Schedule your mammogram every year, but if you notice something before then, don’t wait. Be your own advocate until someone listens.”
City Lifestyle is proud to partner with the foundation as the community gathers to honor 25 years of lifesaving hope and ensure this vital work continues.
To learn more, sponsor the luncheon, or support Project Mammogram, visit the Northeast Hospital Foundation at NortheastHospitalFoundation.org.