NWI Breast Care Center at Methodist Hospitals hosts Night Out with the Girls 2026

On Thursday, March 19, the Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center hosted a Healthy Night Out with the Girls event. The event featured screenings and an educational seminar on triple-negative breast cancer prognosis presented by Laini Fluellen Charities.

“We’re always looking for women to be mindful of their breast health, and to be mindful of the education that we’re providing for them,” said Jennifer Sanders, manager of the Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center. “There’s so much information, and so much misinformation. We’re always bringing women together to give out the correct statistics and the data they need to make sure that they’re making healthy, informed decisions. We’re always here for women, and we’re here to let them know that.”

Healthy Night Out is an event that Methodist Hospital puts on four times each year. Since starting in 2012, they have served more than 1,000 women in total. The event focuses on a variety of topics, from heart health to menopause.

“We try to get women into the center to experience what it is like to come into a breast center. We’re always trying to get women to have their mammograms,” said Sanders.

There was a presentation done by Latrisha Buckingham, who is part of community outreach at Laini Fluellen.

“I hope people get education from today’s event. We focus on triple-negative breast cancer, education and research. Through our partnership with the Know Your Lemons Foundation, we educate women with all forms of breast cancer. We’re educating women so that they know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. A lot of women don’t know that there are twelve signs and symptoms of breast cancer,” Buckingham said.

Laini Fluellen Charities puts on free classes on how to advocate for themselves, talk to their doctors, and how to do self-tests. Every year, 1.7 million people are diagnosed with breast cancer, with someone being diagnosed every 15 seconds. They discussed what increases risk, including genetic history, age, medications, and lifestyle habits. Attendees were given a risk assessment form and shown how to do self-exams, emphasizing early detection.

Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form that spreads quickly, has fewer treatment options, and is harder to find than traditional breast cancer. This makes it even more important to self-check monthly and get a yearly mammogram.

“The most important tool that you have is early detection. Early detection is what saves your lives. We’re really focused on helping women be able to advocate for themselves, so that they’re more likely to have a positive outcome,” Buckingham said. “If you catch it early, there’s a 99 percent chance of survival. It’s not a death sentence.”

Laini Fluellen Charities began operating in Northwest Indiana fifteen years ago after Laini Fluellen passed away, having been diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer at just thirty-five years old.

“She had been such an active, engaged person within her community. She was a people-person who really took an interest in others, and she did so much in the community. Because of her sudden passing and her not being able to continue her work, we said these characteristics—this character—cannot die. 

We took up the initiative to carry on her legacy, and we’re continuing that purpose. We’re here today to engage with the community, to again share what we’ve learned, and to help the community be aware of the outcomes of not being proactive when it comes to the early signs of cancer,” said Diane Artis, chairperson of the board at Laini Fluellen.

Attendees were encouraged to ask questions after the presentation. Sanders even invited women to take a look at the mammogram machine. Taking a peek at it, and really understanding it, can make it seem less scary.

“We do these events to get rid of the stigma. There’s a lot of fear for women who haven’t had mammograms,” Sanders said.

Madison Berbig, a mammogram technician, understands firsthand that fear can play a huge role in getting a mammogram. She makes an effort to help guide everyone, but especially first-time patients. With lots of new technology, like new Bella blankets, patient comfort is prioritized heavily.

“It’s not your mom or grandma’s mammogram. If this is your first mammogram, it can be overwhelming. You can’t do better if you don’t know better,” Berbig said.

Attendees got to leave with gift bags that included both fun goodies like lipstick and stress balls, as well as important information from the presentation about breast cancer awareness.

For more information on Methodist Hospital, you can visit their website.