‘Early detection is key’: How one employee’s breast cancer journey inspired her to raise money for mobile mammograms

_{Bobbi Black, left, with her son, Ashton Black, and wife Judy Willis.} On June 14, 2021, Bobbi Black was at work at Samsung Austin Semiconductor when she got a phone call from her doctor that changed her life. “It was at 9:30 in the morning. My doctor was on vacation and she wanted to let me know right away, so she notified me over the phone here at work,” Black recalled. On the other end of the line, Black’s doctor gave her the news she had been dreading for days. She had Stage 2A breast cancer. “It was pretty overwhelming. Scary,” recalled Black. Just the week before, Black was going in for her first-ever routine mammogram at the age of 47. “I definitely procrastinated a couple of years on it [getting a mammogram]. I just finally decided to do it. That’s one of the main things I wish I had gone in earlier,” Black said. According to the American Cancer Society, screening recommendations for women at average breast cancer risk states women between 45-54 should get mammograms every year. With no family history or symptoms, she became concerned when they needed to do an ultrasound and follow up with a biopsy. Once diagnosed, Black underwent a double mastectomy and then five months of chemotherapy. During that time, Black said her family was her support system. The hardest thing she had to get over was not being so hard on herself. “I’m a very independent, strong person. I don’t like other people helping me with things,” Black added, saying it was especially hard after her double mastectomy. “Just giving myself grace and allowing others to help me when I needed it.”

_{Bobbi Black’s sons, Ashton Black, left, and Brendan Willis..}

_{Bobbi Black with her son Ashton during her chemotherapy treatments..} ‘Early detection is key’ In Black’s case, the cancer hadn’t spread anywhere else in her body. “I’m very lucky,” Black said. “Early detection is key. If you detect it early enough before it spreads to other parts of your body, it’s a lot easier to treat and the survival rate is a lot higher if you detect it earlier.” To ensure other women have easier access to mammograms, Black is raising money for the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride in Taylor, Texas on Sept. 16. The Texas Mamma Jamma Ride is an annual bike event that raises funds to support Lone Star Circle of Care’s Big Pink Bus mobile mammogram service which offers free or low-cost breast cancer screenings to uninsured patients. “There’s a large number of women who don’t have access to mammograms—they can’t afford it, don’t have insurance—and they’re very expensive if you don’t have insurance,” explained Black. “This is a great program where they’re offering free or sliding scale mammograms to those who may not have been able to get them before. They are really saving lives with this program.” When Black learned Samsung Austin Semiconductor was a Platinum sponsor for the 2023 ride, she knew she had to get involved. “I hadn’t even heard of it before. I looked into it and thought it was a great opportunity to make a difference.” Black said she set her fundraising target for $3,500 because that would cover 10 tanks of gas for the Big Pink Bus. With the support of her family, friends and work family, Black has already raised $7,500 as of Sept. 3 and is currently the top fundraiser!

_{Bobbi Black, third from left, and her coworkers..} “The Product Ops team and Manufacturing team that I work with has been a tremendous support. They’ve donated so much and I appreciate all of them,” Black, who has been with Samsung Austin Semiconductor for 26 years, said. “I’m completely blown away.” While Black won’t actually be riding the day of the event, she will be there volunteering and cheering on all the participants. If you would like to donate to Bobbi Black’s fundraising efforts, click here. As of the time of this publication, Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s team ranked third for the most money raised for the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride.