Pop-Up Pink Pumpkin Patches Back at BRG to Promote Breast Cancer Awareness

BATON ROUGE, La. – Baton Rouge General (BRG) has kicked off its annual “Protect Your Pumpkins” movement as part of the hospital’s breast cancer awareness campaign promoting annual mammograms for women 40 and over. At the heart of the campaign are thousands of pink pumpkins that popped up overnight at all three BRG campuses – Bluebonnet, Mid City and Ascension.

The public is invited to visit one of the pink pumpkin patches, presented by b1Bank, to take photos and to bring home a pumpkin for free to display in honor of breast cancer awareness. The hospital’s Bluebonnet location features additional photo opps, including a 15-foot inflatable pink pumpkin, a new addition to the patch. Pink “Protect Your Pumpkins” t-shirts are also available for purchase at the Bluebonnet location, and attendees can enter to win a pink beach cruiser bike.

“Our pink pumpkin patches have not only become a favorite fall event in the community, but they are an effective way to have important conversations about breast cancer,” said Dr. Everett Bonner, a surgical breast oncologist at Baton Rouge General. “We know that early detection matters and want to make mammograms as accessible and convenient as possible.”

Second to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. East Baton Rouge Parish has the second highest number of new breast cancer cases annually in the state, ranking just below Jefferson Parish. And breast cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in Black women, according to a new report by the American Cancer Society.

A mammogram can often find or detect breast cancer early, when it’s small, and even before a lump can be felt. Women over 40 should talk to their doctor about their risk for breast cancer and when they should schedule a mammogram. Early detection leads to a greater range of treatment options, including less-extensive surgery and fewer serious side effects.

Women can schedule a mammogram by visiting protectyourpumpkins.com or calling (225) 769-1847. They are available at all three of BRG’s campuses, as well as its imaging location on O’Neal Lane. Saturday mammograms are available at BRG Ascension.

The pink pumpkins are available for free until they are gone. The unique “Porcelain Doll” pumpkins were cultivated to aid in the fight against breast cancer. Only about 50 farms across the country grow these pink pumpkins, which are part of a national campaign launched in 2012 to encourage people to show unity in the fight to find a cure.

This year, Ambetter joined the Protect Your Pumpkins movement as a supporting sponsor of the pumpkin patch. On the Bluebonnet campus, the patch is located at the corner of Bluebonnet Blvd. and Picardy Ave. At Mid City, the patch is located on the Florida Blvd. side of the hospital and at Ascension, the patch is set up on the right side of the facility’s parking lot.

For more information, visit protectyourpumpkins.com. And follow the #ProtectYourPumpkins movement on social media.

About Baton Rouge General Medical Center
Baton Rouge General Medical Center is the area’s first community hospital with over 600 licensed beds between three campuses. Baton Rouge General opened its doors in 1900, and has provided the Greater Baton Rouge community with high-quality healthcare for generations. An accredited teaching hospital since 1991, Baton Rouge General is affiliated with several medical school programs, and offers other medical education programs, including a School of Nursing, School of Radiologic Technology, Family Medicine Residency Program, Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. For more information, visit BRGeneral.org, find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/BatonRougeGeneral and follow us on Twitter @BRGeneral and Instagram @batonrougegeneral.

###