In her position as Data Base and Donor Relations Coordinator for the Methodist Medical Center Foundation, Nancy Borum could see that the resources for providing screening mammography to patients lacking the financial means or insurance coverage to pay for the service were not covering all the need.

As both a daughter and a sister of breast cancer patients, she knew the importance of early detection, and she decided to do something about it.

The result: “Bikers for Ta-Tas”, a 145+ mile motorcycle run that was held Saturday, July 17 and raised more than $12,000 on behalf of Breast Health Services at Methodist Medical Center.

More than 440 bikes and nearly 1000 riders participated in the run which started at BG Karaoke Saloon in Bartonville (an event sponsor) and made the circuit through central Illinois which included 4 stops and took the riders from Route 24 to El Paso where they went on to Streator via Route 23 and then to Lacon on Route 18 and back to East Peoria via Route 26.

Over 1050 commemorative shirts for the event were sold, including purchasers from Texas, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and California who learned about the event online.

One participant rode his motorcycle from Pennsylvania to Bartonville in order to take part in the run, and earned the $100 prize as the person who came the farthest distance.

The new Methodist Mobile Mammography Van was on site at the start of the race and performed screenings for several race participants prior to takeoff. Methodist’s Mobile Mammography service operates in the 10 central Illinois counties bringing breast screening to rural and underserved populations.

Said Borum, “The new technology such as facebook and email really helped us promote this event. Bikers are a tightly-knit group and they love getting together for events like this, especially when it’s for such a great cause.”