Grant Awarded to Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano Allows Free Screening Mammograms for Qualifying Women

Contact: Susan Hall, 214-820-1817
Email: susanh@baylorhealth.edu

(PLANO, TEXAS, Dec. 14, 2007) - The Baylor Plano Women's Services department was recently awarded a grant by The North Texas Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to promote the Breast Cancer for a Lifetime CommunityT Educational Program in the growing Hispanic, Asian, and underserved populations of Collin County. This grant allows digital screening mammograms to be provided at no cost to qualifying women age 40 and over.

Participating women will receive education on breast cancer statistics and risk factors, mammogram and screening guidelines, breast self exam instruction (BSE), and additional lifestyle issues. The goal in providing this service to members of the community is to increase the percentage of women receiving mammograms, thereby leading to an increase in the early detection of breast problems and an increase in the survival rate among breast cancer patients.

"Because being a woman is the number one risk factor for breast cancer, awareness is vital for all women," says Emily Gentry, R.N., Baylor Plano women's health coordinator. "The key to successfully treating breast cancer is early detection. The Breast Cancer for a Lifetime CommunityT Educational Program helps teach all women the importance of early detection and screening and motivates women to be an advocate for their own health."

Women interested in participating in the program should contact Emily Gentry, R.N. at 469-814-6753.

Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano provides comprehensive diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and follow-up care and offers a center of excellence - the Baylor Scoliosis Center. Other specialized clinical services include neurosciences, orthopaedics, medical and radiation oncology, surgical weight loss, women's services, gynecology, urology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, a sleep center, pain management, all digital imaging, diabetes management and more. The Baylor Plano campus is the home of THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano, the first dedicated heart hospital in Collin County.

For fiscal year 2007, Baylor Health Care System will report $390 million* in community benefit, which includes providing care for charity patients and patients enrolled in government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, as well as the unreimbursed costs of medical education, research and community programs.