Northern Westchester Hospital Receives $215,000 Grant from Avon Foundation

Funds Will Continue to Support Breast Health Initiative for Underserved Women

Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) in Mt. Kisco, NY, recently received a two-year grant in the amount of $215,000 from the Avon Foundation. The funding will be used to further enhance and expand NWH's Breast Health Initiative, which provides accessible and timely services designed to overcome the social and economic barriers that prevent Latina immigrants and other underserved women in Westchester County from receiving optimal breast health care. The check was presented to NWH's Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs Dr. Marla Koroly in October during the closing ceremony of the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer New York at Pier 84 in Manhattan.

Toni Aurigemma, NP, clinical and program coordinator of NWH's Breast Health Initiative, said that statistics from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey showed that the lowest prevalence of mammography use within the two previous years was among uninsured women.  "Our goal at Northern Westchester Hospital is to help make an impact on that statistic," she said. "It is an honor to provide breast health care to these women and help with the process of follow-up care."

The Initiative primarily targets uninsured immigrant women 40 and over or those who are at high risk for breast cancer and provides them with education, diagnostic, and treatment services such as mammography and follow-up care including consultation with a breast surgeon, biopsy, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, as needed.  This program was established

in 2006 with an initial $180,000 grant from the Avon Foundation. That funding led to the appointment of a nurse practitioner who works directly with underserved female patients, the creation of a part-time position of a bilingual patient navigator to improve access and communication, expansion of the Hospital's Community Outreach Program, and the creation of a transportation fund to facilitate access for breast cancer patients to and from the Hospital.

This latest grant will help to improve breast health education and outreach to the Hospital's target population, increase the number of women receiving screening and diagnostic services, improve in-reach to current patients to increase the number who return for annual follow-up care, and create a more comprehensive database to support program assessment.
Uninsured and underinsured women living in Northern Westchester, 40 years of age or older or who have a family or personal history of breast cancer are eligible for free mammograms and clinical breast exams at NWH. For more information, call (914) 666-1840.

ABOUT THE AVON FOUNDATION
The Avon Foundation, an accredited 501(c) (3) public charity, was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women and their families. The Avon Breast Cancer Crusade launched in 1992 in the UK and now includes breast cancer programs in more than 50 countries focused on advancing access to care and finding a cure.

Through 2007, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade has raised and awarded more than $525 million worldwide to make a significant and lasting difference in five critical areas: awareness and education; screening and diagnosis; access to treatment; support services; and scientific research; all with a focus on the medically underserved. Beneficiaries range from leading cancer centers to community-based non-profit breast health programs, creating a powerful international network of research, medical, social service and community-based organizations focused on defeating breast cancer and ensuring access to care.

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