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RANDOLPH, Jan. 11, 2008 – Gifford Medical Center has been awarded an Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund grant for the seventh consecutive year. The only hospital in the state to receive the national award, Gifford has been granted $35,700 for 2008 to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer.
The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund supports community-based, non-profit breast health programs across the country. Gifford was selected as one of 143 grant recipients nationwide. Organizations are chosen based on their ability to effectively reach women, particularly minority, low-income and older women, who are often medically underserved.
In 2007, Gifford, through the Avon Foundation’s
generosity, reached 1,532 women during educational
visits, a total audience of more than 140,000 with the help of the media, and scheduled 497 women for mammograms.
“Men and women have responded by calling and getting information for loved ones, which makes me optimistic the message about the importance of mammograms is being received,” Gifford Breast Care Coordinator Jane Harrness said.
The breast health program at Gifford in 2008 will continue to educate women in Randolph, central Vermont and statewide on the importance of mammograms and clinical breast exams.
Through Harrness’ work, Gifford will reach women where they live, work and socialize. Harrness will travel the state speaking at senior centers and senior living facilities, prisons housing women and public events on the life-saving benefit of detecting breast cancer early.
“Receiving this grant again allows me to continue to educate all of Vermont on the importance of breast health and annual mammograms,” Harrness said.
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in U.S. women. In Vermont, an estimated 420 new cases of female breast cancer cases were diagnosed in 2007 and 100 died from the disease, according to a study by the American Cancer Society. Nationwide, more than 178,000 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and more than 40,000 lives were lost from the disease. While advances have been made in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure, early detection still affords the best opportunity for successful treatment. Programs such as Gifford’s help ensure that all women have access to early detection information and options, even poor and medically underserved women.
“We are extremely proud that the Avon Foundation shares our mission of reaching rurally-isolated women with information on the importance of good breast health. We are honored Avon has chosen to support our program,” Gifford Director of Development and Marketing Ashley Lincoln said. “With these funds we will be able to continue our work, which each year leads to life-saving early breast cancer detections.”
Since 1993, the Avon Foundation has awarded more than 1,000 grants to community-based breast health programs across the United States.
“The Avon Foundation is committed to access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, with a focus on the medically underserved, and the first steps are education, awareness and outreach,” said Carol Kurzig, executive director of the Avon Foundation. “The work of the Gifford Medical Center perfectly supports this mission and will help save the lives of women throughout Vermont.”