Thanks to Susan G. Komen Grants
ATLANTA (May 8, 2009) -- Piedmont Fayette Hospital will be able to increase local access to breast services thanks to grants from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Greater Atlanta Affiliate. The grants make it possible for Piedmont Fayette to increase services to uninsured and underinsured women by providing a nutrition and exercise program for breast cancer patients; a dedicated nurse to help patients move through a complex healthcare system resulting in more timely treatment and education about treatment options and preventive behaviors; as well as access to genetic testing and counseling and advanced breast cancer screening and diagnostic services.
“We at Piedmont Fayette are thrilled to be able to provide expanded oncology services to breast cancer patients on the south side of Atlanta thanks to this increased funding,” said Jonathan Bender, M.D., chairman of the Piedmont Fayette Hospital Cancer Committee. “We are committed to providing world-class breast health services to all women, and these grants will help us better serve members of the Fayette community as our cancer services continue to grow.”
The $325,000, which was awarded to Piedmont Hospital and Piedmont Fayette Hospital, is an increase of $196,000 over the last program year and should help the hospitals serve a combined total of 800 additional patients.
Piedmont Fayette Hospital will launch “Get a Move On,” a combination nutrition and exercise program for breast cancer patients and survivors. Eligible participants will receive one-on-one nutrition and exercise consults with a registered dietitian and an exercise physiologist, both of whom specialize in the needs of breast cancer survivors. In addition to personalized nutrition and exercise plans, participants will take part in healthy-eating cooking workshops and demonstrations, and twice-weekly group exercise classes.
Services provided under the Komen Atlanta grants are free to patients who meet certain income and residency requirements. Patients should be referred by a physician or can complete a form to see if they qualify at www.fayettehospital.org/komen or www.piedmonthospital.org/komen. If a patient qualifies and doesn’t have a physician, she will receive help finding a physician to follow her care. To learn more about the program and to check qualifications, call the Piedmont Komen Grant Line at 404-605-4427.
A 2008 survey conducted by Komen Atlanta illustrated the marked under-utilization of breast services in the Atlanta area by African-American and Latino women as well as indigent women of all races.
“This year, thanks to increased funding, we will be able to further address the gap in crucial breast health services and hope to expand these programs into more of our oncology services in the future,” said Bender. “This is a key part of our overall plan of developing a comprehensive cancer center for the Fayette community and surrounding areas. We are excited about the arrival of these enhanced cancer services closer to home.”
For more information about breast health services and Piedmont Fayette Hospital, visit www.fayettehospital.org or www.piedmontcancerconnection.org.
This year, Komen Atlanta awarded $2.3 million to 28 organizations in its 10-county service area. For more information on Susan G Komen for the Cure Greater Atlanta Affiliate or grants in your area, please visit www.komenatlanta.org.