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DOWAGIAC — One area foundation will be turning a part of Dowagiac pink Wednesday in support of providing life-saving care to women in Cass County.

The Ascension Borgess Lee Foundation will host its annual Tree of Love lighting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in Dowagiac’s Farr Park.

The program got its start in 1985, the first Ascension Borgess Tree of Love was launched as a way to raise money for early detection and treatment of breast cancer, a disease that claims the life of one American woman every 69 seconds. It is estimated that one out of every five women does not have insurance to cover breast cancer detection services, such as mammography.

When detected early, breast cancer is often more easily treated and women diagnosed with the disease live longer, according to hospital officials.

Donations to the Tree of Love campaign fund mammograms at Ascension Borgess Hospital for low-income women who do not have health insurance or whose insurance does not cover the cost of screenings. When donors contribute to the Tree of Love campaign, they have the opportunity to honor or remember a loved one represented with a light on the tree. Each honoree is then mailed a card recognizing the honor and donation.

For more information, visit ​borgessfoundation.org​ or contact the Ascension Borgess Foundation at (269) 226-8100.