Photo: (l-r) Lexington Medical Center President & CEO Tod Augsburger; Lexington Medical Center Foundation Vice President of Community Relations and Development Barbara Willm; event co-chairs Bill McDaniels and Suzanne Pucci; and Lexington Medical Center Foundation Executive Director Amy Lanier.

The 2019 McDaniels Automotive Group Gala and Golf Classic raised a record-breaking $660,520 for the Lexington Medical Center Foundation’s Campaign for Clarity, a capital campaign working to provide 3-D mammography throughout the hospital’s network of care.

The event included a gala on Wednesday, April 24 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center and a sold-out golf tournament at the Fort Jackson Golf Club on Friday, April 26.

“We are so proud that this event helps us make 3-D mammography a priority for all patients at Lexington Medical Center,” said Barbara Willm, vice president of Development and Community Relations at Lexington Medical Center. “This technology will have a significant impact on the health of our community.”

The total is the highest amount raised in the event’s 27-year history. Last year, it raised just over $500,000 for the Campaign for Clarity.

Also known as ‘tomosynthesis,’ 3-D mammography creates a group of three-dimensional pictures of the breast and allows doctors to view tissue one millimeter at a time, making tiny details visible earlier and easier.

Patients will find that 3-D mammography is no different from the mammogram they are accustomed to as far as compression, positioning, and time. The benefit to patients is that the multiple layers of images resulting from 3-D mammography can help doctors better evaluate the breast tissue.

3-D mammography uses a low dose X-ray to create multiple images within seconds that are similar to the “slices” of images in a CT scan. The FDA-approved procedure uses the same type of equipment as a 2-D mammogram and a similar dose of radiation. Studies have shown that 3-D mammography also reduces false positives and unnecessary callbacks for patients with dense breast tissue.

The Lexington Medical Center Foundation thanks everyone who helped to make the event such a tremendous success. To learn more about the Lexington Medical Center Foundation and its initiatives, visit LMCFoundation.com.