Throughout the month of October, the Ross Medical Education Center campus in Port Huron, Michigan made every effort to inform students about the very important topic of breast cancer awareness. As part of this initiative, the campus hosted two guest speakers from McLaren Hospital of Port Huron: Kelly DiNardo, RN, BSN Community Education and Outreach Coordinator, and Heather Hayes, Program Specialist in Women’s Wellness Place.
Kelly and Heather visited the Port Huron campus to discuss the programs that McLaren offers the public. They specifically covered the programs provided for women for free or for a minimal fee. Some of the programs the speakers highlighted were Well Women Care, Cancer Support Group for Women, Look Good, Feel Better, Wig Bank, Reach to Recovery and the Cancer Resource Center. Kelly and Heather passionately shared how extremely proud they are to offer financial assistance to uninsured women for breast health services such as mammography or breast ultrasound.
The presentation was very educational for the students and staff alike. Kelly informed the group of the fact that “75% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history or other factors that put them at risk.” She further explained that “mammography screening beginning at age 40 has helped reduce breast cancer deaths by 35% since 1990. Still 40,000 U.S. women will die from the disease each year. If all women 40 and older would get yearly screening, breast cancer deaths would drop 40%.”
Women’s Wellness Place at McLaren Port Huron Hospital was designed with the special needs and concerns of women in mind. This invaluable community resource offers so many beneficial programs to women in the community and serves as an advocate for women’s health in the city of Port Huron area, as well as surrounding communities. To learn more, visit the Women’s Wellness Place website.