November 5 , 2004

MGH community health centers make strides against breast cancer

The American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk has become a fall tradition for the MGH community health centers - Back Bay, Charlestown, Chelsea, Everett, Revere and the North End.

This year 85 employees, patients, family and community members from MGH Community Health Associates and the community health centers participated in their 10th walk Oct. 17, raising funds for the American Cancer Society's breast cancer research, education and patient support programs. At the walk, six MGH health center employees wore pink sashes proclaiming them as breast cancer survivors. Approximately 30,000 walkers in the Boston area helped raise $3 million.

Making Strides underlines the daily work of the MGH community health centers to fight breast cancer in women in Boston, regardless of insurance status. The Dana Farber/Partners Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Collaborative (BCSC), a program of MGH Community Health Associates, provides free breast and cervical cancer screenings to uninsured and underinsured women in the community health centers.

"Making Strides is important not just for the funds raised," says Eileen Manning, RN, clinical director of the BCSC. "It also reminds us that early detection and treatment are key in helping to improve the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer for all women."