The Lee Memorial Foundation hopes area residents will again embrace the spirit of giving and give someone a free mammogram.

The 2015 Tree of Love campaign begins at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015, with a tree lighting ceremony at Farr Park in Dowagiac. The annual campaign ensures affordable diagnostic mammography and other breast care services are available for women throughout Cass County, regardless of their income. Last year’s campaign raised $7,629 in total donations, and was supported by nearly 90 area donors.

This year’s campaign fundraising goal is $8,000. Supporters recently helped kick off the campaign during a high school “pink out” football game on Oct. 23 between Dowagiac and Paw Paw. Fans who wore pink to the game were charged a $1 admission fee, and the funds were donated to the Tree of Love campaign.

“Many women in Cass County don’t have insurance or are underinsured to cover breast cancer detection services like mammography,” said Beth Cripe, development coordinator, Lee Memorial Foundation. “When breast cancer is detected early, the five-year survival rate is nearly 98 percent. Our campaign strengthens the survival rate and provides a lifesaving gift for area women.”

In 2011, the Lee Memorial Foundation launched the first Borgess Tree of Love program in Cass County. Since then, community donations to this campaign have assisted dozens of low-income women without health insurance or underinsured in receiving free mammograms and diagnostic mammography services at Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital.

In 1985, the Borgess Service League launched the first Borgess Tree of Love. Since then, donors have supported the Borgess Tree of Love campaign so that countless women in southwest and southcentral Michigan receive free diagnostic mammography and breast health services to identify breast cancer. The campaign also provides an opportunity for donors to honor employees, colleagues, family and friends.

The Tree of Love campaign continues to welcome donors. Donor forms are available for mail-in contributions by calling the Lee Memorial Foundation at (269) 783-3026.