SmartWomen Raises $265,924 for Mammography Fund
The annual luncheon and expo drew 1,560 attendees and supports women facing financial barriers to breast health care.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Philanthropy
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St. Joseph's/Candler's SmartWomen Luncheon & Expo raised $265,924 for the Telfair Mammography Fund at its Sept. 30 event at the Savannah Convention Center. Over 24 years, the SmartWomen program has raised more than $2.8 million for the fund.
Why it matters
The Telfair Mammography Fund helps women who face financial barriers to breast health care, and about 20% of women in the region are uninsured or underinsured. The fund helps replenish support for women without insurance or with high deductibles or copays.
The luncheon and expo drew 1,560 attendees, 80 vendors and 105 sponsors, bringing the program's cumulative total to more than $2.8 million over 24 years. The available figures are event totals from organizers, and the report does not say how many women the fund will ultimately serve.
The players
St. Joseph's/Candler
St. Joseph's/Candler is a Savannah-area health system that organizes the SmartWomen program and its annual luncheon and expo.
Patricia Heaton
Patricia Heaton is an American actress best known for playing Debra Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, and she served as the keynote speaker at this event.
The details
The event included a Diamond Dig raffle, a Pink Lexus signing, and shopping among expo vendors, with Chatham Parkway Lexus and Hilton Head Lexus as presenting sponsors. Patricia Heaton delivered the keynote, and the event was held earlier than in past years to help kick off breast cancer awareness month.
Timeline
Sept. 30: SmartWomen Luncheon & Expo held at the Savannah Convention Center.
Nov. 5: Fundraising total of $265,924 announced in a community announcement.
Philanthropy Context
Local mammography funds like the Telfair Mammography Fund fill gaps left by insurance coverage limits, which leave roughly one in five women in the region uninsured or underinsured. This fundraiser extends a pattern in which community-run programs support screening costs that patients cannot cover themselves.
Women in the Savannah area who lack adequate insurance may be able to access mammography support through the Telfair Mammography Fund. The fund's replenished resources can help cover screening costs for those with high deductibles or copays.
The takeaway
Community-funded mammography support can close gaps left by insurance, and local fundraisers like this one keep those gaps from becoming barriers to screening. Women who face cost concerns about breast health care can look into programs like the Telfair Mammography Fund.
Further reading
Explore more local giving stories in Philanthropy coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Savannah Morning News.
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Do you think uninsured women in your area can afford mammograms?
