Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward announced on May 1 a Senate resolution that designates May 2026 as Mammography Month in Pennsylvania. The resolution is co-sponsored by Senators Christine Tartaglione, Frank Farry, Tracy Pennycuick, and Devlin Robinson. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the importance of early breast cancer detection and encourages women to schedule mammograms.
The effort highlights the ongoing need for public education on breast cancer screening. Early detection can lead to better treatment outcomes and save lives, according to advocates and lawmakers supporting the resolution.
Ward said, “This year marks my five years cancer-free thanks to early detection and successful treatments. We all know someone who received a breast cancer diagnosis and understand how scary it can be. I am proud of the work we are doing in Pennsylvania by leading the way to ensure high-risk individuals have access to critical services without worrying about cost. Our message during Mammography Month is simple but powerful: Early detection saves lives.”
State laws in Pennsylvania require both breast cancer screenings and diagnostic imaging at no cost for those with state-regulated insurance plans. Act 1 of 2023 eliminated out-of-pocket costs for high-risk patients covered under these plans, ensuring full coverage for supplemental tests such as MRIs, ultrasounds, genetic testing related to BRCA genes, and counseling services. Act 52 of 2025 further expands this coverage and will be fully implemented in 2028.
Pat Halpin-Murphy, president of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC), said, “Early detection should be within reach for every woman. Behind every mammogram is a life, a family, and a future. When we make mammograms accessible, we protect all three.” Halpin-Murphy added that PBCC partners with Ward each year during Mammography May “to ensure that every Pennsylvanian has information and no-cost access to care.” She concluded: “Don’t miss your mammogram!”
The American Cancer Society estimates nearly 322,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer nationwide in 2026; an average of 38 women are diagnosed daily in Pennsylvania alone.
Tracy Pennycuick has engaged in public service through her military career and roles on veteran boards while supporting veterans and law enforcement according to her official website. Pennycuick served for over two decades in the U.S. Army—including active duty during Desert Shield/Desert Storm—and retired as a lieutenant colonel according to her official website. She resides with her husband—also an Army veteran—in Harleysville; they have four grown children and two grandchildren according to her official website.
Pennycuick was elected to the state Senate after previously serving in the General Assembly according to her official website. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Missouri-Columbia in business administration according to her official website, beginning her military career as an Army combat medic before pursuing higher education there according to her official website.
