Ashley County Cares Continues 10-Year Tradition of Giving

By Spencer Watson

 
Left to right: Attending the Ashley County Cares donation presentation were Cancer Institute Director Peter Emanuel, M.D.; Shakia Jackson; Maureen McCarthy; Laura Hutchins, M.D.;  Ronda Henry-Tillman, M.D; Bernice Nelms; Donna Shields; and Bettye Berryman.

 

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.