Amidst the packed arenas, cheering fans and electric energy of the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Phoenix, something quieter but arguably just as powerful is happening just steps away from the court. Women are screened breast cancer, free of charge.
For the second year in a row, Eli Lilly and Company is bringing mobile mammography screenings directly to one of the biggest weekends in women’s sports. The initiative is part of it 99 Campaignoffers women over 35 the opportunity to participate in potentially life-saving screenings without insurance barriers, costs or catch.
And the demand is real…breast cancer increases in young women. Since the early 2000s, cancer rates among women under 50 have increased by nearly 20%. 2025 report from the American Cancer Society, and much of that spike comes from overall growth breast cancer in the USA. That’s why Lily promotes early detection with its mobile mammography clinic, which makes health care easily accessible.
Meeting women where they are
Last year, 61 women were screened at Lily’s inauguration in Tampa, Florida, with nine requiring follow-up and one critical mass—a result that demonstrates exactly why. early detection it matters Participation more than doubled this year. Organizers originally planned 100 meetings over two days, but community interest quickly exceeded expectations. Another 50 episodes have been added, so there will be a total of 150 screenings over the weekend.
“Some people travel just to come here because they understand the importance of it” Ana Lariosexecutive director Black healthcare says SELF. “And the fact that it’s free — that no one questions your insurance situation or your status — people are incredibly grateful.”
The screenings were intentionally woven into the experience of the Final Four – a moment when thousands of women gather in one place. For the local Phoenix community, the urgency transcends gender. It is shaped by sharp racial differences: in Arizona, Black residents are diagnosed with breast cancer at a lower rate than white residents, yet die from it at a more than 50% higher rate—the highest death rate in the state. Arizona Department of Health.
This strategy of meeting people where they are is central to the mission of Black Health Matters, which has spent more than a decade working to improve health outcomes in underserved communities.
