Access to care provided through It’s All in the Jeans campaign
Media Contacts
Gina Marsh, Presence Covenant Medical Center
217-337-2917
Amy Roberts, Public Relations
(217) 531-4264 /
Access to care provided through It’s All in the Jeans campaign
Foundation at Presence Covenant Medical Center partners with Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) to award $10,000 for mammography screenings
Urbana, Illinois (September 4, 2013) - With $10,000 from Presence Covenant Medical Center’s Foundation, Robin Newhouse is one of more than 675 names on a waiting list for mammography screenings who now has an opportunity to schedule this vital breast cancer detection procedure. “It’s a huge relief to be able to get my mammogram,” says Newhouse who doesn’t have access to health insurance through either of her part-time jobs.
Unfortunately, Robin Newhouse’s story is all too common in the Champaign–Urbana Public Health District’s service area. “These funds are essential,” says Cathy Propst, Illinois Breast & Cervical Cancer Program Coordinator at CUPHD. Propst says her program is dependent on grant funding to reach as many women as possible, and the proceeds from Presence Covenant’s Foundation will make a significant impact in reaching more women in need. “We are seeing declining support from state and federal sources. These scholarship funds are extremely important to assure local women have access to mammograms. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. However, if it is detected while still in its earlier stages, breast cancer can be successfully treated. Routine mammograms and breast exams can detect cancer early and provide women with better treatment options and results.”
All of the screenings for patients utilizing the scholarship funds will take place at Presence Covenant Medical Center, and all of the dollars raised for mammography come through the Foundation’s annual It’s All In the Jeans Day campaign. This workplace campaign, now in its tenth year in Champaign-Urbana, asks companies to allow their employees to pay $5 to wear blue jeans on the first Friday in October. Many companies agree to match or sponsor the program, which has raised more than $130,000 since its inception.
This is the first year, however, for the mammography scholarships, which has been a longstanding goal of the campaign. “We are thrilled to partner with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District to offer these screening scholarships,” says Angela Reinhart, Development Specialist with Presence Covenant’s Foundation. Reinhart says she expects more than 5,000 participants and 100 companies to participate in this year’s campaign, which is scheduled for Friday, October 4th.
In addition, Reinhart is working closely with local organizations like the breast cancer support group at Christie Clinic, Young Survivors of Champaign-Urbana and the American Cancer Society to hold the third annual Go Pink event on Wednesday, October 2nd at the I Hotel and Conference Center. This event is free to the public and serves as the kick off to It’s All In the Jeans Day. The event will include a spa room, photo booth, purse raffle, speakers, and our expert panel to answer any questions you have as a patient, caregiver, or just in general.
Those interested in registering for It’s All In the Jeans Day or learning more about the program are encouraged to visit the program website: http://presencehealth.org/jeans-urbana or call 217.337.4714.
About Presence Covenant Medical Center’s Foundation
The Foundation at Presence Covenant supports the hospital through a comprehensive program of philanthropic support, stewardship and community impact. Donor funds support capital needs, restricted and designated healing and hope funds and income endowment funds that award community impact FAITH2 grants and offsets incidental health care expenses for the poor. Total Foundation assets locally managed through our investment partners total nearly $8 million.
About C-UPHD
The mission of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of the community through prevention, education, collaboration, and regulation. For more information on CUPHD and available services, visit www.c-uphd.org.
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