will be able to expand breast cancer screening programs for uninsured and underinsured women, thanks to a $50,000 grant from Komen Connecticut.
“We are tremendously grateful to Komen Connecticut for supporting our work, which is educating women and saving lives here in Connecticut,” said Meghan Burgess, M.S.N., A.P.R.N., N.P.-C, coordinator of the Comprehensive Breast Center at Middlesex Hospital.
The grant will help continue a provider education campaign and breast cancer screening in the Middletown area. The need for these programs is substantiated by the 2011 Community Profile, which names Middletown as a designated community due to its high incidence rates of breast cancer. Literature suggests that up to 90% of providers are not making full use of the best practice standards. As an accredited Cancer Center, Middlesex provides a comprehensive program that serves as a gold standard for breast care to surrounding providers. Conducting this campaign will improve available breast care by providing practitioners with a breast care management brochure, the opportunity to participate in Cancer Conferences and to access a Comprehensive Breast Center hotline. The hospital noted that the initiative is consistent with the Komen mission to promote breast health awareness and the importance of screening and early detection among women in Connecticut.
“Two critical statistics drive Komen Connecticut’s work. Approximately 3,000 Connecticut women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. And Connecticut has the second highest incidence of breast cancer in the United States,” said Anne Morris, Executive Director of Komen Connecticut. “The work of Middlesex Hospital is critically important, and we are very pleased to support their efforts to fight breast cancer in Connecticut. Their dedication and resolve is truly commendable.”
“Komen Connecticut and the thousands of volunteers who support their work throughout Connecticut are having a tremendous impact on the health of women in our state – helping to save lives every day. We are pleased to be part of that effort and will work together in the year ahead to respond to real needs in our community,” added Burgess.
Komen Connecticut funds innovative and effective community-based breast health programs that provide education, screening and treatment in local communities throughout the state. Annual grants are determined by the Komen Connecticut Board of Directors in accordance with the Community Profile of Breast Health in Connecticut, a comprehensive local project that researches the breast health services currently available in Connecticut and identifies the gaps in service to our communities.
Based on the Community Profile, Komen Connecticut’s priorities include strengthening and building the capacity of existing breast health providers, promoting the importance of screening and early detection, and increasing screening resources available to underserved women and women with the highest risk. In each of the past three years, Komen Connecticut has invested over $1 million in Connecticut-based breast health programs throughout the state.
“Until we find the cures for breast cancer, these local programs are essential in ensuring that women in our communities have the support and care they need to get and stay healthy,” said Anne Morris.
For more information on Komen Connecticut, go to www.komenct.org. For more information on the Comprehensive Breast Center at Middlesex Hospital, go to www.MHCancerCenter.org.
