GREAT NECK, NY (May 26, 2015) – The North Shore-LIJ Health System announced today that LIJ Medical Center has been recognized by Susan G. Komen Greater New York City as its Community Impact and Innovation Award honoree this year.
LIJ Medical Center is a Komen Greater NYC community partner working to address breast health disparities for African American and Hispanic women in the southeastern Queens and Jamaica, Queens areas through its Cancer Community Connection program, which is funded by Komen Greater NYC.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Komen Greater NYC has funded the Cancer Community Connection Program, bringing its total support to more than $240,000 for community outreach, education and patient navigation services that promote breast health, regular breast cancer screening, and early detection.
With funding from the New York State Department of Health Cancer Services Program, uninsured women between the ages of 50 and 64 are provided with free, state-of-the-art 3D mammograms, and are offered free pelvic exams, pap smears and colon cancer screenings by clinicians at Schlanger, Gottlieb & Partners Council Breast Imaging Center in Lake Success, and LIJ Medical Center in New Hyde Park.
“Early detection is critical to saving a woman’s life and giving her the best quality of life,” said Jill Rabin, MD, co-chief of the Division of Ambulatory Care and Women’s Health Programs-PCAP services for the North Shore-LIJ Health System. “Having regular breast, cervical and colon cancer screening tests increases the chance of detecting these diseases early, when they are most likely to be curable.”
Studies show that health disparities are particularly pronounced among African-American women, who are diagnosed at later stages and consequently face higher breast cancer mortality rates. Hispanic, Asian, undocumented, uninsured and young women also have considerably lower screening rates than the general population.
“Continued funding support from Komen Greater NYC ensures that LIJ Medical Center will make a significant difference in the community,” said Ann Stephens, the program’s Outreach Coordinator at LIJ Medical Center. In addition to education and outreach, the program will identify and eliminate each woman's barriers to care. All incoming patients are guided through the entire continuum of care, from screening to diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.”
“With the support of the Komen Greater NYC funding since 2011, patient volume has more than tripled and more than 20 community-based partnerships have been formed, greatly increasing the program’s impact,” noted Kaitlin Doyle, MSPH, Director of Women’s Health Projects at LIJ Medical Center.
Screenings are available by appointment on weekdays and Saturdays. For more information or to make an appointment, call 718-470-4165.