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ALDEN - Statistics show 15 people in Antrim County will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the next year and four will die.

But not if Dee Lynch and the rest of the Alden High Tea for Breast Cancer can help it.

The organization not only announced the $32,000 raised in 2007 last Wednesday, but also that its name will be changed to encompass the entire county.

Starting just four years ago in 2004, the non-profit organization raises money to spend on serving the underserved in Antrim County.

"Because of our tremendous growth and response from the Antrim County community, citizens and business people, our name is being changed to Antrim County High Tea for Breast Cancer Prevention," founder and president Lynch said.

The fund-raiser, which started as a tea and now includes a raffle, evening reception and silent auction, has thus far always been in Alden. But next year, the event will be held at the Pelican Room on East Torch Lake Drive the weekend of July 13.

The money raised goes toward breast cancer screening and care for uninsured citizens, or people with insurance that doesn't cover those services.

This year, the organization is contributing $10,000 of its earnings to the Northwest Michigan Community Health Agency, one of its partners, to fund screenings for Antrim County residents.

Anybody uninsured or underinsured can go to the high tea organization, and will be set up with a doctor or nurse practicioner to get an appointment for a mammogram. If somebody is diagnosed with cancer, they would go to NMCHA for further medical care.

NMCHA draws from state and federal funds to help those diagnosed with cancer, but only has enough money treat a certain amount of cases each year. According to Lynch, the agency ran out of case loads in June or July this year and didn't have funds for more until Oct. 1, when the new fiscal year began.

Alden High Tea for Breast Cancer bought 25 additional case loads in 2007, so more people could be helped in those months.

"That raised the percentage up to 66.5 percent of Antrim County residents that can be screened, and that is huge. In any county, that is huge," Lynch said.

The organization also committed $5,000 of its earnings to fund two days of screening by the health agency, Sept. 21 and 28. An additional $6,000 will go toward discretionary medical aid and support for Antrim County clients of the agency during the next fiscal year.

"From October 1, 2007 to October 1, 2008 there will not be a man or woman uninsured or underinsured who needs to go without a mammogram, a pap smear or a pelvic exam, free of charge," Lynch said.

She emphasized the organization needs to be made aware of those in need of these services, and guaranteed no "brother or sister" will go unserved if brought to her attention.

Besides contributing to breast cancer prevention, the group sponsors education and awareness programs in the county, too and will spend $10,000 on them this year.

Five speakers work with the organization and are available to any school, church, or charitable group to educate about prevention. Lynch said they don't just stick to breast cancer either - the speakers discuss alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

"We tell them real life stories about people that have touched our lives with these diseases," Lynch said. "That is powerful."

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Antrim County News wants to play a part in educating about and preventing this far-reaching disease and will publish news and stories throughout the month on breast cancer and the lives it affects.

Hadley Robinson can be reached at hrobinson@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-5338523.