October rolled in, and with it came a familiar sight across Baja, pink ribbons, smiling nurses, and the humming of mobile health trucks pulling into dusty plazas and town centers. The government’s “Ruta Rosa” campaign is back on the road, taking free mammograms to women who might otherwise never get one.
Governor Marina del Pilar kicked off the campaign in Mexicali this week, flanked by Health Secretary Adrián Medina Amarillas. The message was simple but strong: early detection saves lives.
“We want to make sure that every woman in Baja California has free access to this service, no matter where she lives”
This year the Ruta Rosa will roll through all seven municipalities with three mobile mammography units. The plan is to visit 22 rural and suburban zones that don’t have a single mammogram machine nearby. The health department says they can perform up to 220 screenings per day, completely free.
Last year, thanks to this program, over a thousand women were diagnosed with breast cancer in time to get treatment. Baja California is now slightly above the national average in early detection, which means more women are getting a fighting chance.
Medina Amarillas said the state has managed to keep a 95-percent supply rate for oncology medications, a rare achievement these days. The oncology unit in Mexicali alone has given more than 5,000 radiotherapy sessions.
What stands out this year is how many different groups are joining in, from IMSS and ISSSTE to private clinics and civil associations. There’s even a plan to honor local nonprofits at the end of October in Tijuana’s Parque Esperanto for their work supporting cancer patients.
The governor reminded women that October isn’t the only month to think pink.
“It’s a year-round campaign,” she said, adding that women should practice self-exams regularly and visit clinics whenever they notice something unusual.
It’s easy to forget that breast cancer still tops the list of cancer-related deaths among women in Mexico. Campaigns like the Ruta Rosa might not solve everything, but they sure make the road to prevention a little shorter.
If you spot one of those pink trucks in your town this month, stop by, get checked, and maybe bring your neighbor along. A few minutes could save a life.
