Kearny Mayor Carol Jean Doyle and Councilwoman Marytrine De Castro joined residents on Aug. 8, 2025, for the Mammography Mobile Unit & Breast Cancer Education Program and Community Health & Wellness Fair at the Girl Scouts Leadership Center in Newark.
The event, the first of its kind at the Leadership Center, was organized by Kearny resident and Girl Scouts Heart of NJ Ambassador Girl Scout Ava De Castro Lawdanski as part of her Gold Award Project. It featured remarks from Mayor Doyle, Councilwoman De Castro, Ken McKenna, Julien Broomfield, and breast cancer survivor Alexa Arce.
Attendees from Hudson and Essex counties received breast cancer education, mammography screenings by Mammography in Motion, health screenings, resources, and refreshments. Since launching her program, Ava has helped provide mammograms to about 150 women, many for the first time, and secured $35,000 in sponsorships from the Minette’s Angels Foundation, the Kearny PBA, and other partners.
Ava’s outreach now serves Kearny, Harrison, Newark, Verona, and Caldwell, spreading awareness about early detection, self-exams, and annual screenings. Girl Scouts in attendance earned the Breast Cancer Awareness Patch.
Upcoming events include the “Tie Kearny Pink” health fair on Oct. 11 at Kearny Town Hall and the next Mammography in Motion screening on Oct. 24 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at Kearny Town Hall. For mammogram scheduling, visit www.kearnynj.org.
Photo Credit: Ron Smits/Town of Kearny
