Speaker Christine C. Quinn and 'Cancer Vixen' Marisa Marchetto Join
12/02/2008
-- Marisa Marchetto and the American Cancer Society Launch the
'No Breast Left Behind' Campaign --
NEW YORK, NY, October 17, 2008 - Uninsured and underinsured women received free mammograms today at St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center in honor of National Mammography Day sponsored by the Cancer Vixen Fund. New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, St. Vincent's President and CEO Henry Amoroso, and Cancer Vixen author, cartoonist and philanthropist Marisa Acocella Marchetto were on hand to celebrate the event.
'My colleagues and I have worked hard to increase the availability of mammograms at New York City hospitals and clinics and we have taken to the streets of our communities all over the city to urge women to get tested,' said Speaker Quinn. 'We know that this is a health crisis that affects everyone and we need to get everyone involved to defeat it. I'm glad to partner up with the American Cancer Society, St. Vincent's Hospital and with Marisa Marchetto and the Cancer Vixen Fund to make high breast cancer rates a thing of the past.'
Marisa's triumphant battle with breast cancer led her to advocate for all women to have access to the mammograms they need. Her Cancer Vixen Fund sponsored the free mammograms at the Breast Center at St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center.
'Uninsured and underinsured women face tremendous obstacles in the fight against breast cancer, and providing free mammograms on National Mammography Day is a meaningful way to promote early detection and help increase survival rates,' said Marisa Marchetto. 'I am also partnering with the American Cancer Society on a new campaign, ‘No Breast Left Behind,' to extend awareness efforts on this important issue throughout New York City and the Hudson Valley.'
Thanks to fundraising efforts coordinated by Marisa, the Cancer Vixen Fund has helped countless women receive mammograms and other breast health services that they would have otherwise never received. To learn more about the Fund or to make a contribution, individuals can go to www.svcmc.org/cancervixen.
'St. Vincent's is proud to be in partnership with Marisa and the Cancer Vixen Fund in the fight against breast cancer. Her fundraising and awareness efforts on behalf of the millions of uninsured women remind everyone that early detection saves lives,' Mr. Amoroso added.
The 'No Breast Left Behind' campaign, also launched today by Marisa and the American Cancer Society, will raise awareness of the importance of funding mammograms for uninsured and underinsured women, a group more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer. A talented cartoonist for the New Yorker and Glamour, Marisa designed a limited edition 'No Breast Left Behind' t-shirt for sale on the American Cancer Society's Hope Shop at www.cancer.org/hopeshop. The proceeds will help fund screenings for uninsured and underinsured women in New York City and the Hudson Valley.
'Lack of health insurance is the single greatest predictor of late stage diagnosis and mortality from breast cancer,' said Maureen Fitzgerald, American Cancer Society Manhattan Regional Vice President. 'For those 47 million Americans who are uninsured, their insurance fails to provide adequate coverage when they are diagnosed with cancer. We are thrilled to partner with St. Vincent's, CW11 and Marisa to help bring attention to this serious issue.'
About the Cancer Vixen Fund
The Breast Center at St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center provides a complete line of Breast Health Services in one convenient location. The Cancer Center offers routine screenings, diagnostic imaging and procedures, surgeons dedicated solely to breast disease, an on-site ambulatory surgery unit and access to medical and radiation oncologists with the latest in technology and drug therapies for the treatment of Breast Cancer. A complete line of support and complementary services such as nutrition, yoga and acupuncture are also available.
When you donate to the Cancer Vixen Fund, you provide uninsured and underinsured women with the access they need to receive the highest level of breast health services. The Cancer Vixen Fund supports treatment and prevention services that are essential to saving women's lives.
About Saint Vincent's
Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers (Saint Vincent's) is anchored by St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan, an academic medical center located in Greenwich Village and the only emergency room on the Westside of Manhattan from Midtown to Tribeca, St. Vincent's Westchester, a behavioral health hospital in Westchester County, and continuing care services that include two skilled nursing facilities in Brooklyn, another on Staten Island, a hospice, and a home health agency serving the Metropolitan New York area. Its behavioral health services also provide supportive housing programs for people with mental illness throughout the Metropolitan area. Saint Vincent's is the designated provider for the New York and New Jersey region of the US Family Health Plan sponsored by the US Department of Defense.
Saint Vincent's serves as the academic medical center of New York Medical College in New York City. The healthcare organization is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn and the president of the Sisters of Charity of New York.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 17 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information anytime, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org
