Vision for Expanded Access

May 5, 2008

Dear Friends,

At the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer this past weekend, Adventist HealthCare, Washington Adventist Hospital and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital were awarded a $500,000 grant over two years to fund the Navigate to Health Program designed to ensure the most vulnerable populations in our communities are not lost unnecessarily to breast cancer.

The funding will allow us to reduce the number of patients who do not seek care for this deadly, yet manageable disease. The Navigate to Health Program will expand breast health outreach, education, and advanced technology services to low-income, uninsured and underinsured women ages 18-65+ in the communities we serve in Montgomery Prince George’s and Frederick counties.

We’re excited that these additional resources will allow us to expand our successful breast screening programs to reach more medically underserved women in our communities. The outreach and education program, patient navigation program, and the best screening technologies will mean better access, earlier breast cancer detection in many cases, and will give women in our communities a better chance for survival.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to keeping you informed of how your community hospital is doing throughout 2008.

Sincerely,

Jere Stocks
President
Washington Adventist Hospital