Ashley County Cares Continues 10-year Tradition Of Giving to UAMS Breast Cancer Program

By Spencer Watson

During those 10 years, the small but determined group called Ashley County Cares has raised $285,000 for breast cancer research and programs at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

Representatives of the group traveled to UAMS on Nov. 24 to present this year’s donation — $40,000 to be split equally between breast cancer research initiatives at the Cancer Institute and the UAMS Cancer Control Program.

“This is our 10th year to support the breast cancer program at UAMS. Several women in our group have been personally touched by cancer, and we are committed to continuing the fight,” said Donna Shields, Ashley County Cares president.

Accompanying Shields were her fellow Ashley County Cares members Bernice Nelms and Bettye Berryman.

The group’s $40,000 donation was raised through biannual T-shirt sales, a community-wide dinner and auction held each October, and an annual 5K run/one-mile walk.

Learn more about Ashley County Cares on their Facebook page.

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.

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