Oak Park police officers are wearing pink uniform patches and pins throughout October as the village marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The Oak Park Public Health Department announced the initiative on Oct. 1, pairing the police department's visible show of support with a push to connect uninsured and underinsured residents to free screening services. Officers under Chief Shatonya Johnson are sporting the pink patches to recognize survivors and those currently facing the disease.
The department is directing residents to Equal Hope, a Chicago-area nonprofit formerly known as the Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force. Equal Hope navigates women to mammogram screenings, diagnostic follow-ups, biopsies and treatment at no cost. Services are available in English, Spanish and other languages through an interpreter line.
Residents can request services through an online intake form. The village's announcement listed Equal Hope's phone number as 312-942-3369, while Equal Hope's own website lists 312-942-3368. Residents who have trouble reaching one number should try the other.
About 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer, according to the village's announcement. When caught at its earliest stage, the disease carries a five-year survival rate of 99%.
The American Cancer Society recommends women ages 45 to 54 get mammograms every year. Women 40 to 44 have the option to begin annual screening. Women 55 and older can switch to every other year or continue annually. The ACS also notes that clinical breast exams by a health professional are not recommended for average-risk women at any age, per guidelines last updated July 23, 2026.
The guidelines advise transgender women to discuss breast cancer risk with a doctor following breast development and hormone therapy use. Transgender men should talk with a doctor about risk in any remaining breast or chest tissue.
Health Education Manager Sara Semelka's team at Oak Park Public Health can be reached at [email protected] or 708-358-5480 for additional information.
