Joint effort to raise breast cancer awareness

September 30th, 2006
     SARANAC LAKE - Four North Country hospitals have joined forces to promote awareness of breast cancer and the benefits of early detection. 
     The hospitals - Adirondack Medical Center, Alice Hyde Medical Center, CVPH Medical Center, and Elizabethtown Community Hospital - will be conducting a joint media campaign during the month of October to highlight the benefits of early detection.
      This first-time collaborative effort between the hospitals was made possible by grant funding from the Northeastern New York Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., the Adirondack Medical Center Foundation, and the Foundation of CVPH Medical Center.  The AMC Foundation served as lead agency on the project in obtaining the $25,000 Komen Grant. The AMC and CVPH foundations each contributed $3,000.
      The first phase of the media campaign is a postcard with an affixed magnet to be mailed to over 35,000 women age 40 and over in Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties. The mailing encourages women to take control of their lives by getting a mammogram as part of the promotional activity in October. Throughout the month, the hospitals will conduct a variety of initiatives encouraging women to get a mammogram.
      This year it is estimated that nearly 215,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with new cases of breast cancer.  The good news is that when caught early, 87 percent of these people will survive without recurrence for at least five years.
     Women are being encouraged to call their respective counties' health partnerships for more information or to coordinate ordering a mammogram.  Those numbers are 562-7112 in Clinton County, 1-877-275-6266 in Essex County and 891-4471, extension 3016 in Franklin County.
      According to Joe Riccio, Communications Manager at Adirondack Medical Center, the North Country media blitz will cover over 3,000 miles and reach a population of more than 152,000 people. The purpose is to educate women about mammography and breast cancer prevention as well as to encourage them to talk to their physician, hospital or other health-care providers and ultimately get a mammogram. 
      The four North Country hospitals welcomed the opportunity to cooperate in addressing an important health-care issue that enables residents to find solutions in their respective communities.  All four hospitals provide mammography services as part of their diagnostic imaging programs.  All four hospitals support the concept of providing excellent health care close to home. 

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