Now this Valley woman is repaying the favor
Antoinette Jaycox discovered the lump within months of leaving her corporate job to start her own business. For the first time in her life, Antoinette was without health insurance.
At first, she was not concerned—she'd had cysts before. But when it did not go away, she began worrying about breast cancer.
Antoinette called a dozen health centers and found that no one was interested in a woman without insurance and that the care she needed was beyond her budget.
Then she heard about the Women's Wellness Clinic (WWC) at St. Joseph's. The WWC, which provides free gynecological care to low-income and uninsured woman, was able to get her in within days.
Jaycox, who has a background in social work, was pleasantly surprised by her visit to the clinic. "I felt like I could keep my dignity. I never had any reason to doubt that I was going to receive quality healthcare."
Over the next couple of years, Jaycox returned often for mammograms, ultrasounds, and other gynecological care. In late 2005, she got what she'd been hoping for—a clean bill of health.
Impressed with and grateful for the care she had received, Jaycox decided that as soon as she had an opportunity to give back, she would do whatever she could for the hospital. She wanted to ensure that other women could continue to receive the kind of care she had.
When she opened the JaCar Beauty Lounge later that year, inspiration hit. She would host a cut-a-thon to benefit the Women's Wellness Clinic. Jaycox held her first fundraiser in October 2007 and plans to make it an annual event.
"When there was no one there for me, the Women's Wellness Clinic was there," she says.
