NUHEALTH FOUNDATION RECEIVES $75,000 FOR NUMC’S BREAST CENTER, ONE OF TEN GRANTS AWARDED AT THE AVON WALK FOR BREAST CANCER
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2011
PRESS CONTACT:
Shelley Lotenberg
shelley@numc.edu
516-572-6055
NUHEALTH FOUNDATION RECEIVES $75,000 FOR NUMC’S BREAST CENTER, ONE OF TEN GRANTS AWARDED AT THE AVON WALK FOR BREAST CANCER
Funds will assist NUMC in ensuring that all women and men without insurance or resources continue to have access to high quality breast services and care
East Meadow, NY…Arthur A. Gianelli, President/CEO of the NuHealth System, announced that the NuHealth Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the NuHealth System, had received a $75,000 grant, one of ten grants awarded at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer by the Avon Foundation, to help support patient navigation at the Nassau University Medical Center’s breast center. Chris Mancuso, RN, nurse coordinator for NUMC’s breast screening program, accepted the check at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer closing ceremony on Sunday October 16, 2011 in New York City.
“We are grateful to the Avon Foundation for Women, for providing the NUMC breast center with a generous grant of $75,000, to help us better serve our uninsured and underinsured breast center patients and help to save lives through a patient navigation program,” said Gianelli. “These funds will assist us in ensuring that all women and men without insurance or resources continue to have access to high quality breast services and care. By beginning the navigation process in the community, our aim is to recruit and enroll women right in their neighborhoods for our screening program.”
Deidra Parrish Williams, executive director of the NuHealth Foundation, stated: “Because Long Island has the unfortunate distinction of being a high risk region for breast cancer, it is especially important that we continue to enhance the capacity of NUMC’s breast health center. The Avon Foundation’s grant will significantly help support our efforts.”
“This is wonderful news and women will benefit as a result of the Avon Gant for the patient navigation program. Women will be enrolled into the screening program and provided with a convenient appointment on our mammography van,” said Chris Mancuso, RN. “This early connection to the screening process will allow our patients to begin to develop a trust and understanding of the breast health care process. The navigator will then become a resource that the client will know and trust for her appointments and follow up exams if need be.”
The ninth annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer season continued with the Avon Walk New York this past weekend, and raised more than $8.4 million which is added to the more than $400 million raised since 2003 to advance access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer. The Avon Walk New York, attracted more than 3,500 participants from 42 states and Washington, D.C. – as well as Denmark, Switzerland, Cayman Islands, Canada and Bermuda – including 444 breast cancer survivors, who joined together to raise lifesaving funds and awareness for breast cancer.
Avon Foundation for Women Honorary Chairman, Reese Witherspoon, was a special guest at the Ninth Annual Avon Walk for Breast Cancer New York Closing Ceremony, where she thanked walkers, crew and supporters for their incredible commitment to the cause: “All of you came here this week-end to make sure there are more survivors in our world, and the money you raised and the awareness you spread will help save lives,” said Witherspoon.
Photo: At the check presentation, Chris Mancuso, RN, director cancer screening program was joined by Marc Hurlbert, PhD, executive director of the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade and executive secretary to the Avon Foundation Scientific Advisory Board and Noreen Bishar, RN, case manager at NUMC.
ABOUT NUHEALTH FOUNDATION
The NuHealth Foundation is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization created in 2007 with a sole purpose: to generate philanthropic funds needed to enable patients of the NuHealth System to enjoy the best possible care. To date, the Foundation has procured funding for state-of-the-art medical equipment, innovative clinical care, and beautiful capital renovations – all of which provide meaningful improvements to the quality of our patients’ experience, and more importantly, to their long-term prospects for healthy living. With ongoing support from general donors, these enhancements will continue. Our patients deserve no less. The NuHealth System includes Nassau University Medical Center, A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility and four community-based family health centers, all providing quality care to hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders, including those who are underserved, uninsured, and often overlooked.
ABOUT THE AVON FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN
The Avon Foundation for Women, the world’s largest corporate-affiliated philanthropy focused on issues that matter most to women, was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women. Through 2010, Avon global philanthropy has donated more than $800 million in more than 50 countries for causes most important to women. Today, Avon philanthropy focuses its funding on breast cancer research and access to care through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, which has donated more than $700 million around the world, and efforts to reduce domestic and gender violence through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program. Avon also responds generously to provide support for relief and recovery efforts in times of major natural disasters and emergencies.
ABOUT NUHEALTH
NuHealth is a Long Island health care organization delivering essential medical care and disease and lifestyle management to everyone at every stage of life. Also known as Nassau Health Care Corporation, NuHealth is a public benefit corporation managing the operations of Nassau Medical Center, A. Holly Patterson Extended Care and a network of Family Health Centers that bring primary and specialty care out into the community. By emphasizing wellness, cultural sensitivity and collaborative efforts with the North Shore-LIJ Health System, NuHealth is working to make good care more affordable and easier to access.
For more information about NuHealth or its Centers of Care, visit www.nuhealth.net.
