Nashville General Hospital at Meharry joins together with SunTrust Bank and the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the fight against breast cancer
NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 27, 2006 - Nashville General Hospital's "Mammograms in May" program will offer screening mammograms at not cost to women over the age of 40 who have not had a mammogram in a year. Women interested in a no-cost mammogram should call 341-4447 to schedule an appointment. Through the sponsorship of SunTrust Bank and the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the mammograms will be offered at no cost to women both insured and uninsured. Funding from the sponsors allows Nashville General Hospital at Meharry (NGH) to offset the cost of insurance co-pays.
NGH's Mammograms in May program provided more than $150,000 worth of free mammograms during the last two years. "Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among American women, and mammography is the most effective method for the early detection and diagnoses of breast cancer," said Dr. Reginald Coopwood, M.D., chief executive officer of Nashville General Hospital. "It's important that all women get mammograms as early diagnosis greatly increases the chance of surviving breast cancer. 'Mammograms in May' allows us to further our mission of providing 100 percent access to healthcare."
"During the last three years, 'Mammograms in May' provided more than 1,000 free mammograms to area women who might not have had access to this important breast cancer detection method," said Laura Folk, Senior Vice President for SunTrust "Thanks to this program, since 2003, 10 women were found to have undiagnosed breast cancer. We hope to help more women by offering this life-saving screening through the 'Mammograms in May' program and we are proud to be a sponsor for the second year in a row."
The five-year survival rate for women with breast cancer decreases from 97 percent when it is diagnosed early to 21 percent when it is detected after it has spread. Because a woman's risk for developing breast cancer increases with age, the American Cancer Society advises women over the age of 40 to schedule a mammogram each year.
The mammograms will be conducted in Nashville General's
Breast Health Center, a comprehensive facility located on the main floor of the hospital at
1818 Albion Street
. The Center opened in October 2002 in response to the high proportion of late-stage breast cancer patients treated at
Nashville General Hospital
. As part of the
Breast
Health
Center
's community outreach efforts, Nashville General has developed educational programs to provide women with information about breast cancer prevention and screening.The
Breast Health Center is equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic technology, including mammography, ultrasound and stereotactic breast biopsy equipment, which uses a computer-guided needle to remove tissue from suspicious areas for testing. Sentinel node biopsy technology, which helps determine if breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, is also available. While all women are at risk for developing breast cancer, African American and Hispanic women have a higher breast cancer death rate than women of other racial or ethnic populations. Breast cancer incidence is lower among African Americans, however mortality rates are approximately 28 percent higher than among white women. Like African American women, Hispanic women are statistically less likely to participate in mammography screenings and more likely to be diagnosed with late stage breast cancer.
"The racial and ethnic difference in breast cancer mortality rates can stem from lack of health insurance and the knowledge of screening guidelines," said Ana Grau, M.D., director of the Breast Health Center. "Through 'Mammograms in May,' we hope to reach this population of women who normally don't receive mammograms. During last year's program, 10 percent of the women needed follow up care. Without this program, some of these women might not have received a mammogram and the treatment they needed."
Ana Grau, M.D., an oncological surgeon, is a graduate of Universidad Catolica de Chile in
Santiago Chile. She completed a residency at University of
Arizona in Tucson, and a fellowship at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Founded in 1890,
Nashville General Hospital at Meharry is a publicly supported, academically affiliated, community-based hospital whose mission is the achievement of 100% access to healthcare and zero disparity between populations.
For additional information contact:
Meharry Medical College is the nation’s largest private, independent historically black institution dedicated solely to educating minority and other health professionals. The College is particularly well known for its uniquely nurturing, highly effective educational programs; emerging preeminence in health disparities research; culturally sensitive, evidence-based health services; and significant contribution to the diversity of the nation’s health professions workforce. Black Issues in Higher Education’s ranking of institutions annually lists Meharry as a leading national educator of African Americans with M.D. and D.D.S. degrees, and Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences.
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